Innuendo
by WolfyToes
Summary: Normally, Katrina goes through the school year without much interruption. She's always been a reliable student; studying, finishing her homework on time, and testing extraordinarily well. However, when she and her friend come in contact with a pair of rambunctious twins, everything immensely changes. No longer will Katrina roam the halls without a grin on her face. Part 1 of 5.
1. BUMP

Perhaps Diagon Alley was always this hustling and bustling, but with the pressures of the school year approaching, everybody seemed to be rushing to grab new books, robes, owls, cats, toads, and wands for the new students entering Hogwarts this year.

Wands. Now that was a conversation starter! As Katrina looked over at Ollivander's shop, a wave of nostalgia seemed to pour over every fiber of her being. In great detail, she could remember the day she acquired her wand — the store was dusty, yet clean, and Ollivander himself had taken her measurements (not that they really mattered for her) and gave the little first year to be the very wand she used to this day.

_"Yes, yes, of course! Katrina Rhinehart, daughter to the one and only Robert Rhinehart. I could tell you were his daughter from a mile away, and I would say you looked just like him if I didn't know any better." Katrina found herself eying the man suspiciously despite herself. "Ah, yes, here we go!" Ollivander pulled out a thin, long black box etched with words Katrina never caught fully with her bedazzled, excited eyes. Any apprehensiveness had dissipated immediately at the sight of her potential wand. The lanky old man carefully slid the box out from its sheath, and then quite daintily picked up the magical stick._

_ "Ebony," he muttered, handing it to the young brunette, "Fourteen and a half inches, core of Phoenix Feather, and firm as could be!" Katrina lightly traced her fingers on the decorative handle, donned with nearly marble-looking wood — a thin layer of Dogwood, she would later learn, added a bit of a boost to Transfiguration techniques — that made for a steady handle as decorative vines seemed to spiral around the length of the wand. Grasping it in her hands, an odd feeling of comfort wafted over her as the contours fell in sink with every line in her palm. The wand seemed to glow with pride at Olivander's choice, and in the man's eyes, he seemed very proud of himself and the new witch before him._

_ "Take care of that one, it can be prone to mischief." With a wink and a wave, he ushered the girl off to continue her journey to learn the secrets those Muggles would never understand — Magic._

If it was up to Katrina, she would have danced around in her memories for the rest of the day; However, given no choice, she instead lurched and threw her books onto the ground as somebody — or some_bodies_ — bumped into her.

"Oh, shoot!" her voice seethed, "I just bought those, too!" Katrina began to crouch and pick up her things, but was interrupted by a set of voices.

"Sorry, love! Didn't see you there!"

"Let us get those for you!"

Two redheads suddenly appeared before her, kneeling and hastily grabbing whatever they could find sprawled out on the cobblestone. As she stood with them, Katrina looked them both in the face with an odd expression, and then realized as they handed her books back to her. She grimaced.

Twins. Identical twins. They both wore the same clothes, sweaters and slacks, and each had their own cheeky grin that was far from apologetic. Their hair was generally long for boys, coming down to their necks and fringe that was straight and split down the middle (an atrocious cut, in Katrina's opinion), and was a brilliant orange-red that certainly stood out from the rest of the crowd. Dread began to pool in Katrina's stomach.

"I know you two," she said, "You're those twins in Gryffindor, aren't you?"

"Look George, we're famous!" said one of them, elbowing his brother in the ribs.

"Well blimey, Fred, of course we are! We're the best looking blokes in the whole of Hogwarts, wouldn't you say?" George replied.

"I suppose," Fred's eyebrows furrowed, "But how would she know us, George, when we've never even seen her before?"

"Can't be a second year, too old."

"Can't be a third year either, look at her books!"

"You're in the same year as us, are you? Fifth?"

"Possibly," Katrina said coolly. "Now if you'd be so kind as to excuse me, I have to buy a new quill — "

"Now, now, love, don't just run away," Fred said, grasping Katrina's arm as she began to walk in the other direction, "We haven't even introduced ourselves yet!"

"Amanuensis is in the other direction, anyway." George raised his eyebrows cheekily.

She gave them both an icy glare, faced them, and stood herself straight. They still towered over her regardless, but Katrina at least felt more intimidating. "Get on with it, then."

"You first," said George, "we've practically already told you who we are." At this, Katrina's shoulder slumped.

"I'm not telling you anything," she said, "Not when you haven't got the decency to act a gentleman — er, gentlemen."

"Ooh, feisty, are we?" cooed Fred, "I do believe we've bumped into a harpy, George! We can finally check that off of our bucket list now. Thanks, love, we've been searching for a good fowl for _ages_ — "

"It was getting quite exhausting, really," George continued, "You'd be surprised how hard it is to find a right cranky lady such as yourself. Maybe during 'that time of the month', but it's a bit hard to figure out just when one of you women actually start draining."

Katrina's scalp began to burn as if her skin was boiling. She must calm herself, said Katrina's mind, she mustn't attract more attention.

Heaving a sigh, Katrina said exasperatedly, "I've heard enough about you two to know where this is going, and quite frankly I would like to get on with my business before my parents come to get me."

"What, you're not going to run to your mum, are you?" Fred leaned over, at Katrina's eye level, and smirked as she glared malevolently.

Before Katrina couple open her mouth to retort, a loud voice suddenly broke through the crowd. Fred and George both suddenly stood up, rigid, and stared off in random directions until a stocky, redheaded woman marched through the crowd.

"FRED AND GEORGE WEASLEY, I HAVE BEEN LOOKING AROUND FOR YOU FOR AGES. HAVE YOU NOT HEARD ME CALLING?" she bellowed, and the two boys began to glow a wonderful pink. Katrina had to fight herself to keep from laughing at their horrified faces. "YOU TWO GET OVER HERE THIS INSTANT SO I CAN FINALLY FINISH SCHOOL SHOPPING! And sorry, dear, I'm sure they were dreadful to you," the woman turned to Katrina, making her jump and straighten up herself.

"Oh, oh no, they were okay," Katrina sputtered out in surprise, and then immediately regretted it. She should've ratted them out for doing something horrible, but no, she had to be the good kid.

Immediately, the woman seemed to relax (albeit not very much). "Well, good. If they bother you again, dear, just come to me. Now I've got to be off, lots of shopping to do, you know!" And with a brisk wave, the lady took her sons by the arms and began to pull them away. There was an irony to it, Katrina thought and grinned. If she ever saw them again, she would definitely have to gloat about how they were pulled away by _their_ mum.

With foul mood uplifted, she then plowed through the witches and wizards and to-be or old students back to the Leaky Cauldron.

It was a nice pub, even though everything was covered in a constant coat of dust. Quite popular too, Katrina thought as she shimmied between a group of older wizards. With an exasperated sigh, she gripped her books tightly in one hand and briefcase in the other, preparing for the long trek up to room number twenty-four.

* * *

"Finally!" came Katrina's gasp of exhaustion as she shoved open the door, slowly stomping into the temporary flat, closing the door with her foot, and throwing her books and things onto one of the two beds. Her brother, Alex, was bunking with her for the moment — he must have still been shopping. Exhaling deeply, Katrina swiveled around on one foot and fell onto the other bed face-first with a loud _thunk_ and a groan that could have meant either exuberant joy or wilting tiredness. For a moment, she lay there motionless except for her chest, heaving as she sucked in the odd, not enjoyable but not horrible scent of the quilts.

Katrina heaved herself up after a moan of protest. Alex would be back any moment now, and he wouldn't be keen to see his older sister hoarding both the beds. She faced the large, shabby-ish leather briefcase on her sheets and look at it for a brief second before swiftly swinging her hands onto it's two locked clasps and clicking them open.

The top of the briefcase suddenly snapped open, only to reveal nothing. It was completely black inside, almost as if it were deeper than the few inches any regular briefcase would hold. This, however, was no regular briefcase.

"I wonder where I put it. . . ." Katrina mused to herself before dipping a hand into the depths, reaching so far as to her elbow. Setting her jaw and furrowing her brow, she quickly became frustrated. Her fingers brushed a set of clothes, socks, a Sneakoscope, a cool, round container of sorts (probably some Colour-Change Ink), and a multitude of Sugar Quills. However, she wasn't looking for any of these things, meaning that it was all only getting in her way.

Abruptly, she felt a long, smooth surface. After a quick jerk and grasp, Katrina pulled out a simple, rounded mirror out of her briefcase by the handle. She smiled at it, pulling it up and looking over her features in great interest. Brown eyes, mousy hair, young face — nothing short of normal. Suddenly, her reflection scrunched her mouth over to one side, squinting.

"Eyes are a bit dull," it seemed to whisper in multiple different voices. Katrina turned her face left and right, gazing at the reflection, who now followed in suit.

"I agree," she concluded and gave the mirror a strained, thoughtful look.

The door swung open and Katrina jumped. Slapping her mirror to her chest and looking aghast at her intruder, Katrina's eyes seemed to show translucently clear, for a moment, and then gleamed aqua. It was only Alex.

"Wotcher," he said with a grin as his sister shook her head suddenly, hair returning to its mousy brown before he got a good look at the color change. He himself had dirty, dark brown hair and eyes like Katrina now donned. His expression was amused and slightly cocky, though not particularly obnoxious.

"You scared the bullocks out of me!" Katrina exclaimed with a small, almost squeaky laugh.

"Come off it," Alex answered with a lopsided smile and, not unlike his sister, kicked the door shut behind him as he entered the room and threw his things (a new cauldron and some robes as he had grown since the last school year) onto his bed. "Still gazing at your reflection, I see? Just enthralled with yourself, aren't you? I don't think you've ever stopped gloating how you're the firstborn —"

"Hush," Katrina replied quickly with a smile. He was only teasing, she knew, but she despised the thought of her bragging about something so trivial towards him to the point that she didn't want Alex to finish his sentence. "I was just trying to spice myself up a bit, is that too much to ask?"

"Considering how often you look at that ruddy mirror for image advice, yeah, it is a bit much." Alex began to laugh as the mirror audibly gasped. Katrina quickly stuffed it back into her briefcase and snapped the locks shut before it could hear another word.

"Did you see the new Firebolt on display?" she asked, changing the subject before Alex could continue on his badgering. Immediately, like she had expected, her brother bounced up as if he were a firecracker.

"Did I see it? Did I _see_ it? Of course I have, you bloody dolt, and it's made of dreams and angel wings!"

"More like made of Galleons and Galleons," Katrina mumbled, picking up one of her books (_The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5_ by Miranda Goshawk) and flipping through it absentmindedly. "Oh, look, I never knew you could make a ghost solid . . . Only works for a few minutes though, how boring. . . ."

Alex was sulking on his bed now, no doubt thinking of the expensive Firebolt.

"_Anapneo_. . . . I'll have to use that next time you choke on a slice of ham," Katrina laughed lightly, tapping her brother's leg with her foot and giving him a playful gaze. Alex smiled his lopsided smile again, although it seemed strained. "It'll unclog your airway. Maybe it'll help teach you to stop inhaling what you eat and actually chew."

"I'm hungry, actually," Alex mumbled as he got to his feet and stretched his arms high above his head. "Have you got a few sickles?"

Katrina snapped her book shut, stood, and began to surf through her pants pockets. "Two Galleons, about . . . twelve Sickles, and a few Knuts, yeah. I'll come with you?" She asked as Alex headed toward the door.

"Sure," he replied, opening the door again and slipping outside, followed closely by Katrina.

The trip downstairs was much more enjoyable than going up, and much faster without carrying a briefcase that continued to smack against your knees. Katrina did carry her book of spells with her though, deciding a bit of pre-school studying wouldn't do her any harm.

As the two of them entered the main pub, they were greeted by Tom, the hunch-backed innkeeper and owner, and three tables shuffled together in the middle of the large room.

"Probably for a big family," Alex whispered over his shoulder as he led Katrina over to a small table not too far from the stairs, "I'd bet they're wanting to have a good dinner before their kids go off until the holidays. . . ."

Katrina nodded. It certainly made sense. After sitting down, she opened up her book again and began to study the Impediment Jinx with great interest.

She jumped as Alex's foot collided with her shin.

"Ow!" Katrina exclaimed loudly, and then noticed Tom looking at her expectantly. "Oh! Oh, just a water and the — er — pea soup, please?"

Tom nodded in a wompy way, and then walked off with a wheezing laugh. Katrina looked at her brother, and they both shared a brief grimace. Alex's eyes suddenly focused on something behind her, though, and before Katrina could get a good look, a hand shot out from behind her a pointed at another spell in her book, where there was a boy depicted with a pumpkin for a head.

"That's a good one," said a familiar voice from behind her, "_Melofors_, we used it loads of times during our third year, didn't we, Fred?"

Katrina groaned as she heard Fred reply, "Yeah, imagine about twenty Hufflepuff first years running around with pumpkins for heads! Sprout made us clean up Bubotuber pus for a week, but it was worth it."

Alex had suddenly paled. Katrina laughed grimly as she leaned forward in her seat, hiding her face in her hands and said, "Have you met the company I bumped into today, Alex? Or rather, who bumped into _me_. . . ."

"What, no greeting?" Fred chimed as he pulled up a chair and shimmied beside Katrina. George followed in suit, seating himself across from his twin and beside a very white Alex.

"Wotcher," Katrina mumbled as she flipped a page of her book, hoping they would just go away if she was quiet enough. It didn't work, however, as George began to prod her brother.

"This can't be your boyfriend," he said as he placed a finger on his chin and looked at Alex, perplexed, "too young. Maybe a cousin?"

"Brother?" Fred suggested.

The two looked at each other and nodded. "Brother."

"You don't look anything alike though," Fred said as he nudged Katrina with his elbow. She ignored him again, but felt her scalp prickle and her cheeks flush. Alex was growing paler by the minute, to the point where he looked ghostly.

"It was you two that barged into my Herbology class," he mumbled almost inaudibly, but caught the twins' attention, "and turned us all into pumpkin-heads. . . ."

They were all silent for a moment, and Katrina flipped through another page of her book, fighting to hide laughter as she thought of her brother with his head replaced by a pumpkin. Suddenly, Fred and George couldn't seem to control themselves anymore, and began to crack up. Alex's face suddenly flushed with blood, and Katrina found herself shaking to keep herself from laughing with them.

"We remember you!" bellowed George, clapping Alex on the shoulder.

"You were the one that stood up for that girl!"

"We got her too, in the end —"

"Right after we hit you and you went off screaming, that is!"

Alex glared at them both, his face turning a brilliant shade of purple as people began to look their way. Fred and George both wiped tears from their eyes, and finally began to subdue their howling into mere snickers.

Katrina shook her head lightly, trying to get the image of Pumpkin-Head Alex out before it could brand itself into her brain. Just then, Tom decided to wobble back with a tray that held two bowls of pea soup and a couple of glasses of water. As the man placed down Alex's things, Alex quickly picked them up, shot Katrina a look, and announced, "I'm going back up to the room. Pay for me, will you?"

He then stood and clambered up the steps without another word, balancing the water and bowl of soup between his arms. Katrina, Fred, George, and Tom all watched him with mouths slightly ajar, but righted themselves almost simultaneously and before she thought much of it, Katrina handed Tom a Galleon.

"Keep the change," she said as Tom tried to shove the Galleon back into her hand. He was then off with a shrug, apparently happy with his tip even though his customer didn't seem quite satisfied.

"What's his problem?" Fred and George asked Katrina, who couldn't hold in a chuckle any longer.

"He's not the best with embarrassment," she replied, and then ducked in closer towards the two boys, "And that was _you?_ He's been ranting on and off about that day since his first year!"

Fred and George grinned, and Katrina didn't need an answer before the three of them began to laugh again — though this time, they made sure to keep their voices down.

"Nice of you to invite us to dinner, by the way, love," Fred said as he plucked the spoon out of Katrina's hand and pulled her bowl of soup towards him, "We've been dying for a bite and Ron's going to hog all the food like always —"

"Excuse you," Katrina said reproachfully, sliding her soup out of Fred's grasp just as he was about to get a spoonful, "But I never invited you for anything, let alone dinner!"

"Are you sure, love?" George asked as he scooted over and sat in Alex's abandoned seat, "Because I distinctly remember you saying that we were allowed a date anytime."

"Are you mental?" Katrina asked with an eyebrow raised. She sounded incredulous.

"Are _you_ mental is the question," Fred replied, slowly sliding the soup back to himself right under Katrina's nose.

"I'd never agree to a date with either of you, let alone _both_ of you!" Katrina hissed. Fred dipped his spoon into the soup and took a bite, triumphantly looking at his brother, who slid him a sickle under the table along with a subtle glare.

"I don't see why you wouldn't," George continued, leaning back into his chair and folding his arms behind his head, "You already told us we were the most dashing blokes in all of Hogwarts. Remember that, Fred?"

"Like it was thirty minutes ago," Fred sighed, taking another bite of Katrina's soup.

"That's because it was! And it was you who said — Hey!" Katrina jerked her bowl back to her, splashing a good portion of it onto the table. "Oh, see what you did?"

"Now you actually did that, love," Fred pointed at the mess with his spoon, raising his eyebrows at Katrina who was turning positively scarlet.

For a moment, Katrina felt as if she ought to forget about her boiling scalp and throw caution to the wind, but decided against it and allowed her face to burn redder and redder.

"Fred! George!"

The boys suddenly sat bolt upright, horror-struck for a brief moment and then slumping their shoulders in exasperation.

"But Mum!" They began together, but were quickly silenced as Katrina turned and saw the same short woman from before.

"No buts! Get your rears to our table right this moment or so help me —"

"Alright, alright!" George said as he stood, raising his hands up as though caught by the fuzz. Fred followed his actions almost instantly. The woman, their mother, clenched her jaw.

"We're getting, woman, don't get your knickers in a twist!" Fred replied as he and his twin tip-toed around her and off to the large, merged tables that Tom was preparing before. Their mother huffed, hands on her hips, and then faced Katrina with a soft, motherly smile.

"Sorry, dear, they never obey me, no matter what I do." She exhaled promptly from her nose, and then added, "If they ever bother you again, just come to me, alright dear? Mrs. Weasley, I'm just a letter away."

Katrina smiled sheepishly and glanced back at the twins, who were looking at her from over their shoulders and miming slashing movements with their hands at their necks, frowning animatedly. Shooting her eyes back to Mrs. Weasley she said in a voice that was sure to carry a bit around the room:

"Katrina, Katrina Rhinehart. I'll be sure to owl you if they step a toe out of line." And Mrs. Weasley could have sworn she saw a few strands of Katrina's hair flash pink.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER ONE**

* * *

_How do you even write author's notes? I don't even  
_

_But anyways! There you have it. Not only is_ Innuendo _my first fanfiction since I __was twelve, but it's the first one that I've actually planned out and grown extremely close to the characters. I've got big dreams for this one, and hopefully, I'll live up to it!_

_On another note, however, I'll never get better without feedback. That's one of the many reasons I posted this one here in the first place, besides making you people as happy as I am — for advice. Do you like it, do you not? Is something bothering you, or is everything amazing? I hold all of your opinions in the highest of respects, and please don't feel afraid to tell me about something!  
_

_Thank you uwu  
_

_**NOTICE: There is a blog specifically made for this line of fanfiction! You can find it at dont-let-this-magic-die on tumblr!**  
_

_**ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT WHATEVER YOU FIND IS REMOTELY FAMILIAR OR FROM THE HARRY POTTER SERIES IS PROPERTY OF J.K. ROWLING, THANK YOU!  
**_


	2. CAUTION TO THE WIND

It was morning. Sun filtered through the two dusty, old windows of room number twenty-four in the Leaky Cauldron, bathing everything a brilliant gold. Katrina was sitting upright in her bed, back propped up against the wall that acted as her headboard and reading through the book in her lap. In her right hand was her wand, and she flicked it here and there as if to practice a few movements before she actually had to cast anything. Blue-green sparks flew from its tip every once-in-a-while, evaporating after a few seconds of lazily floating through the air.

"_Multicorfors!_" she would mutter under her breath here or there, giving her wand a wave and a small jab — not that she was aiming to actually use magic. Underage wizardry was a crime in the wizarding world, and Katrina would greatly dislike her life henceforth if she was expelled from Hogwarts for a simple color-change spell.

Alex groaned from his bed, making Katrina jump. He pushed himself up, short hair ruffled and eyes bleary, and yawned. His sister laughed lightly.

"Did you stay up all night pouting?" came her teasing voice. She was clearly wide awake.

"No," Alex replied thickly, rubbing one of his blue eyes with the back of his hand, "I was just taking a long sleep while I can, I'll be up to my nose in homework this year, I can feel it. . . ."

"Yeah, well, I'm going to get about double what you're expecting," Katrina groaned. Alex gave her a confused look, and she merely replied with, "OWLs this year."

Alex made a disgusted sort of grunt and Katrina sighed. "Yeah, imagine all the books I'll have to read . . . and the homework! Oh, the homework. . . ." she leaned her head back and hit the wall behind her in despair.

"I won't fancy the year I have to do O.W.L.'s," Alex began ("Just call them OWLs, it's easier," Katrina mumbled), "I get enough homework from McGonagall and Snape. . . ."

They both sat in their beds in silence for a few minutes, scrunching up their noses as they thought of exams and homework and other things even most Ravenclaws disliked about school.

"We'd better get dressed," Katrina sighed finally, slipping out of bed and stretching out her back, "You never know when Mum and Dad are gonna show."

The two of them then got up, sifting through their bags and things (Katrina going nearly shoulder-deep into her bottomless suitcase) to find a fresh pair of clothes.

It didn't take them too awful long, as they were facing opposite sides of their room within moments and stripping down. With a quick shake of the head, Katrina's disheveled hair flattened itself and gained sudden curls at the tips. Alex, however, simply brushed a few fingers through his messy hair and decided that was good enough.

Katrina and Alex entered the main pub together again, where they were greeted by an empty quiet. The grandfather clock in the far back chimed seven, and Katrina nodded to herself.

_CRACK!_

Suddenly, standing right before the two teenagers, were two tall figures, both beaming. The man's hair was short and a bright lime green, while the woman's was a much nicer almond color that flipped out at her shoulders.

"Good!" said the man, placing his hands on his hips with a wide grin, "See, Maria, I told you they'd be up bright and early!"

"Oh, hush," Maria slapped her husband good-naturedly with her open hand. Katrina just realized she was holding a young child, no older than two years.

"Aunt Syl couldn't watch Tim?" Katrina asked, giving her parents both looks of confusion. Her aunt almost always watched over her youngest brother when they were all out of the house.

"He wanted to come for the ice cream," Mr. Rhinehart said with a wide smile. Immediately, Katrina and Alex began to grin.

"We're getting ice cream?" Alex asked, clearly excited. "Can I get two scoops?"

"Tell you what," Mrs. Rhinehart replied as she leaned forward, speaking over the giggling of her baby, "Whoever gets to Florean Fortescue's first will get an extra scoop. How about it?"

Katrina and her brother shared a look brimming with sibling rivalry. "You're on!" They both shouted at each other, and began to tear their way to the back door.

Mr. Rhinehart laughed loudly, surely waking up a few people on the rooms of the inn. He parted his children as they entered the small back courtyard, faced the far brick wall, and pulled out his long, spindly Dogwood wand. After pausing and giving his two eldest kids and wife a mischievous look over his shoulder, he tapped a single brick, and the wall moved away.

Immediately, Katrina and Alex bolted into the large crowd of Diagon Alley. If possible, it was more crowded than even yesterday, and it was only seven in the morning! Many last-minute purchases were being made by students (most third through fifth years) and parents alike, while a few witches and wizards buzzed about doing their normal morning errands.

Fortescue's wasn't too far off, and was right beside Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. The whole of the Rhinehart family was there within forty seconds, each panting and Alex and Katrina arguing loudly (yet not quite heatedly) as to who had arrived first. As Mr. Rhinehart approached them, though, with a thoughtful finger on his chin and a grin on his lips, he announced that they both deserved a double scoop for effort.

Katrina licked her triple chocolate and chopped chocolate frog ice cream idly as she daydreamed about the upcoming year. Now that she had caught those Weasley twins' attention, she might as well assume to be buggered by them throughout school. Glancing briefly at her father and smiling just a bit, she thought how much he would enjoy them. She supposed they weren't as bad as she had anticipated. In all truth, ever since the rowdy twins in Gryffindor had begun their antics (which was practically when they walked through the entrance hall) Katrina and most other Ravenclaws believed they were obnoxious and held no self restraint. But after their brief meetings, she had to admit that they were rather charming, if not stupidly so.

She took a bite out of her ice cream as it began to melt, eyes gazing over to her mother and youngest brother. She was feeding him a bit of vanilla ice cream with a spoon, and he was delightfully spitting it out all over himself. Katrina chuckled faintly to herself and wondered just how she and Alex came out normal.

Though you couldn't really call her normal, could you? A frown suddenly covered Katrina's features, which she quickly hid by another bite of cold, sweet goodness. If anything, Alex was the only normal one. He was free of the firstborn inheritance, and could play Quidditch, whereas Katrina could hardly ride a broom.

And then she began to think about O.W.L.'s again. It was silly, really, to worry about them, as she was an incredible student and made better grades on tests than most — but the looming shadow of dark thoughts seemed to take over her. She was entering her fifth year at Hogwarts, yet she didn't even know what she wanted to do when she was of age!

Not an Auror like her father, she was not very fond of being near any sort of dark wizard. An Artist, like her mother, though, sounded appealing. Katrina stared off, eyes glazed and unfocused as she thought of more complex jobs, such as Magizoologists or Dragonologists — she had always been intrigued by dragons. Curse-Breaking was out of the question, however, and she scowled. Arithmancy was not her favorite subject and she was happy to switch it with Divination this year. Katrina had done the same with Study of Ancient Runes, swapping it for Care of Magical Creatures as her friend, Cora, had suggested. In her mind, numbers and ancient translations were useless to whatever she was going to do, as Katrina felt she would crave creativity in her later years.

She could be a Professor, like the ones at Hogwarts. The thought of teaching kids, eleven to seventeen, in her older years of twenty and so on made Katrina's frown ease after another dreamy bite of ice cream. Yes, yes, that was quite appealing. . . .

"Kat? Kat, are you there?"

Katrina jumped as Alex waved a hand in front of her face. He wore a smug grin and she scowled at him, though smiled soon afterward.

"You went all out of it again, you know," Alex said, wobbling his head around and crossing his eyes for a moment, "that weird thing you do when you're fawning over colour-change spells."

"Come off it," she laughed lightly, giving her brother a small shove at his shoulder, "I was just thinking about school.

"What OWLs did you get, Mum?" Katrina asked suddenly, whipping her head around to her mother. Mrs. Rhinehart gave her a perplexed look for a fraction of a second.

"Outstanding in Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, and Herbology. I got E's in everything else besides Arithmancy, where I got an A." she replied as her husband snorted.

"Well why don't you recite your OWLs then, sweetheart?" Mrs. Rhinehart asked with a reproachful smirk. Mr. Rhinehart straightened hi collar improtantly and cleared his throat.

"I got an O in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and E's in Potions, Astronomy, Transfiguration, and Charms. I got an A in Herbology —"

"And P's in every other subject!" Mrs. Rhinehart grinned triumphantly.

"No," Mr. Rhinehart raised his index finger and his eyebrows, staring at his wife with a straight face, "I got a D in Divination."

"A _D?_" Katrina laughed after taking the final bite of her ice cream. "Dad, I know you were a Gryffindor, but a _D?_"

Alex snickered beside her as Mr. Rhinehart smiled lopsidedly in a sheepish manner.

"I was never much of a Seer," he admitted as he himself finished off his raspberry ice cream. Katrina and the rest of her family laughed faintly, enjoying their last bit of sweets together.

* * *

The atmosphere at King's Cross Station was void of any excitement from the Muggles, as was to be expected. Most of them hurried about, only caring about being late to work or something incredibly silly like that; the Rhineharts, however had a much larger purpose.

Katrina walked along in long strides, in one hand her large, black leather briefcase and in the other a large cage, in which a positively ginormous owl clung to its perch as it gained many stares. Here or there, she noticed a few other teenagers carrying an owl or toad, gaining equal gazes. They all were mysteriously disappearing about half-way up the station, though. There was no use in hiding the grin on her face, and Katrina beamed widely as she passed platform six, then seven, eight. . . .

At the barrier between platforms nine and ten, she stopped briskly, turning on the spot and looking back to her family. Alex was struggling to catch up with his trolley full of bags (he really should have his mother charm one of them, like Katrina had done with her briefcase), and Mr. and Mrs. Rhinehart were sure to keep close to him as to not loose sight of their second child.

Aqua eyes glanced around the room eagerly. The Muggles had stopped looking. Casually stepping backwards, making sure to not bring any attention to herself, Katrina appeared to walk up to the brick barrier and, momentarily, it looked as if she was going to lean up against it. But no, in a rush of pure impulse, she stepped back into the wall and morphed into it, disappearing from the view of the naked eye.

Endless chattering filled Katrina's ears as she turned to find the Hogwarts Express blaring a brilliant red at her, smoking from its engine. It was still fifteen minutes till departure. Rushing away from the barrier that marked the entrance of Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, Katrina began to look wildly around, splaying dazzlingly lime hairs over her shoulders and face. She payed no notice to her sudden difference in hair color, instead searching fervently for a familiar face.

"Katrina! Ka — _KATRINA!_" Before she could even turn around, Katrina was hit with a huge hug from a blond-haired girl that was just a bit shorter than herself.

"Cora!" Katrina choked out with a jovial laugh, clapsing her arms around her best friend's torso.

"Oh, Katrina!" Cora nearly screeched, "I've missed you so much! I mean, I know it's only been a few months, but I've been up and down so often it's been like a confunded broomstick! What with leaving school and being sad, to thinking about the new foal that was born a few weeks in, then that horrible man who got out of Azkaban, and before I knew it, I'm here! With you! Oh, Katrina, I'm so happy to see you again!"

Cora was babbling on and on without taking any breaths, speaking so quickly that Katrina had to slap a hand lightly, yet forcefully, onto her friend's mouth to keep her from running her lips off.

"I've got something to tell you when we get on the train," Katrina grinned. Cora would love to know who she had met just a couple days before. "But it has to wait, I wouldn't want them to hear me when they could be so close by —"

"When who's so close by?"

Katrina and Cora jumped. Cora's eyes were wide, and her smile grew considerably.

"Mr. Rhinehart! Mrs. Rhinehart!" She exclaimed, bouncing away from Katrina and greeting both parents with a hug each, and gasped as she caught sight of little Timothy in Mrs. Rhinehart's arms. "And Tim! Look at how he's grown! And has Alex already got on the train?" Cora's head peered around the two towering adults, looking around for their first son.

"Yes, yes, he caught up with Cedric and hurried to get a compartment with him," Mrs. Rhinehart explained with a motherly smile.

"Are Sally and Nigel close by?" Mr. Rhinehart asked with a dashing, beaming grin. "I've got a bit to discuss with them about what's happened over the summer."

Cora immediately seemed to understand — Mr. Rhinehart was an Auror, after all. "Yes, they should be just a ways away in that direction," she pointed offhandedly behind her somewhere, where indeed, two blond heads could be seen between the bobbing crowd of heads, talking rather loudly.

"Ah, well, I've got to go, Sugarplum," Mr. Rhinehart smiled a bit sadly at his daughter, who gave him a lopsided smile. He quickly leaned down and pecked her forehead. "See you over Christmas, and be careful." After a meaningful look, he rushed off toward Mr. and Mrs. Calloway.

"You'd best go and get a compartment, dear," Mrs. Rhinehart said and ran a hair through Katrina's thick, lime-green hair. "And you too, Cora, off with you! Wouldn't want you to be late!"

"Bye Mum!" Katrina bellowed as she and Cora began to walk off to the nearest train car, "I'll see you, Dad, and Tim at Christmas! And I'll write!" She and Cora waved at their parents, who were waving back hurriedly. Mrs. Rhinehart soon rushed off to her husband, smile suddenly strained, but Katrina didn't notice, as she and Cora were already searching for an empty room on the train.

"What were you saying before?" Cora asked as she opened one of the many sliding doors, slipping inside and throwing her multiple bags on the luggage rack. Katrina followed in suit, closing the door behind her and hardly suppressing a grin.

"You wouldn't believe who bumped into me in Diagon Alley the other day — quite literally, really. . . ."

Cora sat down across from Katrina, intent and staring wide-eyed at her friend. "Go on!"

"Well," Katrina placed a finger on her chin, much like her father, who still visibly had his back to the train out the window, "Should I tell you or should I _show_ you?"

"Show me!" Cora yelled excitedly, bunching up her hands into fists and pulling them into her chest in a wild motion, "Show me, Katrina!"

There was a twinkle in Katrina's eye as she pulled out her wand — now permitted to use magic on the Hogwarts Express — and waved it swiftly at her clothes. As they morphed, button-up shirt becoming a knit sweater and jeans growing baggy and changing into a deep green color, it was as if Katrina was transfiguring herself, too. She had an odd expression on her face and was growing taller, her shoulders jutted out, there were no longer dips in her waist nor was there a round, feminine face. Her jaw was rapidly turning jagged, and her hair was shortening considerably and lime-green turned into orange-red. As her final transition turned, crystalline blue eyes flecking themselves with maple-leaf green, Cora gasped at the Weasley twin replica before her. The train lurched and began to part station.

"No!"

"Yes!" Came the male voice of both of the twins, "Bloody gits they are, too! Really, Cora, you should've been there —"

They both jumped for the second time that day as the compartment door slammed open again. Katrina's disguised eyes didn't bulge nearly as much as Fred and George's, who were gaping so much their jaws could have hit the floor. Behind them was a black boy, the boy who commentated on the Hogwarts Quidditch Games, who looked baffled and guffawed.

"I — I can explain!" Katrina exclaimed, cursing herself in her mind as she should've blocked the window and door.

"You'd better!" said Fred, who sounded oddly outraged and curious at the same time.

"Just — just — get in, all of you!" Katrina rushed forward, grabbed a shoulder of each of the boys in turn, and pushed them inside. Closing the door and shutting the blinds behind her, Katrina stood still for a moment, not wishing to face the appalled faces of the twins and their friend.

"Well?" Came the other boy's voice, ringing loudly like it did during Quidditch. He seemed skeptical, and a little afraid.

"Er —" Katrina was fighting to think of a story. Her mind was blank, and she quickly glanced over her shoulder to see three boys, two identical, all with tightly-set jaws. She sighed.

"Just tell them the truth," Cora mumbled, shuffling uncomfortably in her seat and looking at the floor. "I know you don't like to, but it's sorta useless to not tell them. . . . They'd probably enjoy it, really. . . ."

"Enjoy what?" George asked stiffly. Katrina faced him, his brother, and his friend with a stern glare.

"If you tell anybody, it'll be the death of you," Katrina muttered, raising her wand threateningly, but obviously not attempting to hex any of the boys. They were perplexed at first, but as they saw the Weasley triplet's face contort, shrink, and their hair grow long, surprise and shock wrote all over their faces. With a wave of her wand, Katrina's clothes returned to what they once were, and she was then back to her original shape and form: All except for her hair, which was lavender rather than the color of brown mouse fur. There was a very prominent shade of pink on her cheeks as she looked in every direction besides at the boys, who's eyes were bulging more than before.

"_Katrina?_" The twins asked, both leaning forward in sync, as if to get a better look at her.

"That's right," she mumbled, "Little Katrina Rhinehart."

The compartment was silent, as the boys were slack-jawed and Cora was looking at Katrina sympathetically. Suddenly, the black boy piped up.

"You're a metamorphmagus, aren't you?"

Katrina shot him a look, astonished. "Y-yeah," she stuttered, looking down at the floor and wringing her hands together, "Runs in the bloodline, y'know. . . . Only firstborns so far. . . ."

"Blimey," murmured George.

"Wicked," Fred exclaimed, grinning with his brother. "Why didn't you tell us? Do you know how we could've freaked Mum out? Oh, _oh,_ I bet you've got up to all kinds of things during school, haven't you?"

"What?" Katrina asked, stunned and stock-still as she stared at Fred, "No! No, no, of course not! That's horrible, why would I —?"

"Lee Jordan," said the black boy, shooting out his hand with a wide smile. "I'm Lee Jordan, I mean. I'm friends with Fred and George."

Katrina paused, then slowly shook Lee's hand. "Katrina Rhinehart, but I think I already said that."

"About three times, love," Fred beamed, seating himself across from Cora, who was now smiling fondly at the three of the boys, "You get a bit repetitive."

George sat himself beside his brother, followed by Lee. "Really, Katrina, we'd think you'd be a trifle clever what with your sass back in Diagon Alley."

Katrina's hair burned a brighter violet as she shimmied beside Cora, who was grinning widely by now.

"Oh, and who's this beauty?" George smirked, leaning towards Cora, who blushed in turn. "Can't be one of your friends, Kat, she's much too pretty." Katrina groaned as Cora giggled loudly, covering her face with her hands. George's smile widened into something rather charming, but none of the others beside Cora seemed to notice.

"So what have you been doing lately then, Kat?" Fred asked as he too leaned forward in his seat, "Not stalking us as the cleaning lady in the Leaky Cauldron, I hope?"

"Of course not!" Katrina's cheeks burned ferociously, and she could only see Fred's smile widen. "I-I — i-it's not like this — this _thing_ that I can _use,_ it's more like . . . like a thing that is . . . me?"

"But not you at the same time," said Lee. "You can be anyone or anything, can't you? Like an old woman, or a tiny baby."

"Yeah! Yeah, sort of," Katrina straightened a bit, happy to know at least one of the boys knew what abilities metamorphmagi had, "Like, I mean, I could become a chair if I wanted to, or a worm, or a hippogriff, too."

The rest of the room was looking at her expectantly now, even Cora, though she already knew Katrina's magical properties very well.

"And, er, I can do parts of myself, too . . . like changing my ears, for example. I'm practically a healing machine, too, in a way. Make scratches disappear on myself, grow back and mend my own bones, things like that. . . ."

"How?" Fred and George asked, amused and interested.

"Well," Katrina squirmed visibly in her seat, staring at her hands in her lap, "It only takes a little thinking, really. . . . Like if I wanted to grow out my fingernails, I would think of my fingernails growing. . . . If I can imagine it, essentially, I can be it."

The boys murmured excitedly between themselves, but Katrina was much to embarrassed to listen. This was precisely why she didn't like to tell people, they always acted so amazed, like it was some great feat that she could think of something and be it, when in all reality it was simplicity at its best.

"It's not all great, though," she said suddenly, attracting attention once more as the compartment went silent, "I can't control some things like — like my hair, it's purple right now, isn't it? I didn't make it that way, it just flares up like that when — well, when there's an influx of emotions, I think. I don't suppose I've ever thought much of it, but that's how Dad and I work, and every other metamorphmagus, too. It's like all magic, it sort of works on its own when you get overwhelmed with something."

"So you've got different colours for different emotions?" Lee asked.

"Yes, yes I think so. . . ." replied Katrina, "I think purple is almost always embarrassment, but I haven't paid any attention to other colours."

"What's got you so embarrassed, then?" George asked, motioning to her lavender hair with his hand. Katrina jumped a bit, and shrugged her shoulders.

"Dunno, I don't really like talking about myself. . . ."

Fred, George, Lee, and Cora all frowned.

" 'Course you do, Katrina," Cora chimed, bumping her friend lightly with a smile, "She's just shy, you see," she began to whisper to the boys, "Confidence issues."

"I heard that," Katrina quickly snapped, straightening herself up. After giving her head a swift shake, the lavender tinge to her hair seemed to go transparent for a brief millisecond, then began a much more normal, caramel-like brown. Fred frowned.

"Why such a dull color?" And as Katrina gave him a confused look, he added, "Well, I mean, if you've got rare talents, why not flaunt them? I don't see why you'd choose brown over blue."

Katrina snorted, but smiled regardless. "I s'pose you've got a point. Blue it is, then." And with a bit of a scrunched-up expression, her hair beamed a bright cerulean, as clear as her eyes.

"Much better," Fred winked. After a quick intake of breath, Katrina looked around the compartment, sure to not make eye-contact.

Before long, the outskirts of London were far gone and replaced by fields of wildflowers and overgrown forests. Katrina eventually found herself easing up toward the boys, laughing at their many jokes and listening, interested, to the twins' stories of traumatizing their older brother, Percy (who they affectionately call "Bighead Boy", since he had been appointed as Head Boy). It was oddly enjoyable, despite the fact that Katrina's hair was flaring violet here and there. Even Cora seemed more bubbly than usual.

And then, as foggy as the clouded sky, an inkling of foreboding seeped into Katrina's chest. It was faint, a thought in the very back of her mind, but it irked her. She became rigid, not noticed by the others, who were laughing jovially over some joke Lee had made. Something was very, very wrong.

The train was slowing. A deep, eery silence suddenly filled every car, every train, fingers of confusion and worry tightening around their throats. Fred and George's chuckles subsided immediately.

"We can't be there," whsipered Cora, who had shuffled over to the window and was peering outside, "it's got to be another hour till Hogsmeade. . . ."

Lee had stood, and was slowly, curiously, sliding open the compartment door.

Immediately came the murmuring and whispering of other students, mostly curious, but a few afraid. Lee closed the door again after peering his head through and looking both ways down the corridor.

"See anything?" George asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Nothing," Lee replied with a shrug, sitting beside him once more. "Doesn't seem like anything's wrong with the students. Maybe the train's broke down?"

"Maybe," Fred said, furrowing his brow with a frown. "Seems a bit odd, though, doesn't it? Train's never broke down before, or at least not when we've been on it.

The lamp above them flickered, and as Katrina and Cora jumped, they were plunged into darkness besides the little light drifting in from the window.

"_Lumos!_"

The room was alight again, albeit a bit dimly. Fred and George were smiling cheekily.

"Don't worry, love," Fred whispered with yet another wink, and Katrina knew her cheeks were pink, but easily pushed the thought of flirting away as the most peculiar and depressing feeling gripped at her heartstrings.

She could see her breath, she could see everyone's breath. There was no longer happiness, a twinkle in Fred's eye, or a smile on any of their faces. What had been light and airy only three minutes ago was dark and dreary now, and it was apparent on each of their faces that they had all witnessed the cloaked figure floating, ever so slowly, past the door.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER TWO**

* * *

_Grumbles something along the lines of "stupid horizontal ruler ruining my groove"  
_

_Anyways! Chapter two! I still dunno how to write author's notes!  
_

_Also seriously thank you for reviewing! I honestly didn't expect to have readers so soon o: Thank you, thank you, thank you! uwu  
_


	3. BRIGHT EYED AND BUSHY TAILED

"What d'you suppose that was?" Lee asked their group of five as they shimmied up to one of the many horseless carriages.

"Dunno," George replied as he launched himself up and onto a seat, offering a hand to Cora. She gratefully took it and was pulled up beside him and, with a blush, sat adjacent from him.

"It was a right fright, though. Bet those first years are shaking in their trousers," Fred continued as he slapped his hand onto his brother's wrist, pulling himself onto the carriage more than anything. Lee followed and offered a hand to Katrina, but she politely denied and climbed up, seating herself beside Cora.

"I have a feeling this isn't the best year to start at Hogwarts," she mumbled just enough for her carriage to hear. They lurched forward suddenly, but none of them noticed as the carriage began to trudge up the road.

"Maybe Professor Dumbledore will explain at the feast?" Cora mused, though there was an anxious edge to her voice.

"I'm sure," Lee replied with a smile, easing Cora of her nerves. Katrina, however, still felt oddly numb about it all.

It had been such a sad feeling, whatever it was that had gripped them on the train. It was like . . . like she would have never been happy again. Silently, she thanked Merlin that the beast on the train hadn't decided to visit them.

Rumor was, though, that it had stopped by Harry Potter's compartment. Katrina frowned absentmindedly, looking off in the dense forest. They were saying he had fainted. Most were laughing about it, but in all honesty, she didn't blame him. The cloaked figure gave her quite a fright, as she was sure it had every other student.

"Katrina?"

Her gaze shot toward Fred at a blinding speed. There was surprise obviously written on her face, as if she had been caught thinking of something awful that they could not have seen. Fred smiled.

"Returned to Earth, I see?"

"Sorry," Katrina mumbled, looking down at her hands as she felt the all too familiar blush take over her features again. At least she was learning how to push it away.

"It's fine, love," Fred sighed as he leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms behind his head lazily, "Just next time bring me a souvenir, would you? I've always wanted a moon rock."

The rest of the cart laughed lightly, though Katrina found herself merely smiling at her hands. "I suppose I can try," the murmured, though nobody seemed to have heard her.

* * *

The Great Hall greeted the students back to school, back home, as warmly as ever before. Although the high ceiling was clouded over, like the sky currently above, the many candles floating in midair and the fire burning brightly from the mantle was enough to warm any student to the bone.

The boys were walking off toward the Gryffindor table, waving from over their shoulders. Cora quickly bid Katrina good-bye, then went to join her Hufflepuff friends, including Katrina's younger brother, Alex. Sighing, Katrina headed over to the Ravenclaw table, where she was more or less unnoticed. There may have been a few here or there (specifically a blonde, dreamy-looking girl) that smiled her way, but she was much too busy watching the twins bellow loudly from across the table.

As she sat down, her attention snapped to the doors. There was McGonagall, leading the horde of first years down the middle strip. They seemed awed, most of them, and she couldn't help but grin a little. The Muggle-borns were always so astounded by their first glimpse at Hogwarts, and it never ceased to raise Katrina's spirits.

Students watched with either glee or pronounced boredom (Katrina could hear Fred and George groaning from where she sat) as the Sorting began. The Sorting Hat was stood on its stool, singing its rhythmic song about the four houses: Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Slytherin. As it drew to a conclusion, each of the tables clapped and whooped, clearly hoping to get a good batch of new recruits.

Although the group of first years was rather large, the Sorting itself didn't seem to take long. New Ravenclaws were chattering happily with their housemates. The Great Hall, however, drew to a silence as the Headmaster, Professor Albus Dumbledore, stood at his podium.

"Welcome!" He began as always, "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast. . . ."

After he cleared his throat, the headmaster continued, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business." There was a pause as a few children gasped."They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds, and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave the school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises - or even Invisibility Cloaks. It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student turns afoul to the dementors."

After looking seriously through the hall, Dumbledore continued, "On a happier note, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year."

Katrina hadn't even noticed the new body at the faculty table. He was sickly looking, almost, but handsome and young. From here, she though she saw a few grey hairs atop his head, but paid them no notice.

"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." The Great Hall was filled with a few unamused and even worried whispers here and there. The position of Defense Against the Dark Arts had been rumored to be cursed, what with different teachers taking and leaving the role for the last so-many years.

"As to our second new appointment," Said Dumbledore, "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."

"Well, I think that's everything of importance," Dumbledore exclaimed, "Let the feast begin!"

There was a roar of approval as golden plates and goblets filled with delectable foods appeared magically on the four tables. Older students began to divulge immediately, while the new first years seemed baffled and awed. Katrina fought a grin as she took a rather hefty piece of Steak and Kidney Pie.

Plates were emptying fast. If you would have just walked in there, the Great Hall would have seemed filled with starved teenagers. As they all seemed to finish in unison, the plates and goblets of Pumpkin Juice disappeared and reappeared, glasses refilled and a fresh course of puddings waiting to be devoured.

The Treacle Tart was, as always, delectable, and Katrina found the Battenburg Cake exceptionally moist and fluffy. Finishing together once again, every student's plate and goblet disappeared, and they were dismissed to their dormitories.

Ravenclaw Tower was as wonderfully regal as ever: Vaulted, midnight-blue ceiling decorated with sparkling stars, tall arched windows that allowed three hundred and sixty-degree views of the grounds, blue and bronze silks hanging from the walls, many bookcases, lavish furniture, and finally, the life-size statue of Rowena Ravenclaw. Passing by this statue and glancing at the crown atop her head, the diadem, Katrina could just read the phrase "_Wit beyond measure is a man's greatest treasure._" Pride surged through her veins for a brief moment, and she then walked through the door leading to the girls' dormitories.

The beds in her dormitory were just as magnificently royal as the chairs in the common room. They were four-poster and adorned blue-and-bronze curtains, bedsheets, and pillowcases. The walls were white stone and the windows were large and again arched. On her bed was a set of fresh robes, ties, scarves, and other school clothes, each decorated with either bronze and blue or silver and blue. On the desk beside her bed, the one beside the window that pointed toward the lake, Katrina's large owl cage was open and empty. At the foot of her bed and on top of the chest sat there was her black briefcase.

There were four other beds in the room — and, at that moment, Katrina's roommates arrived. Amelia Felix, Ferra Fairview, Matilda Leggington, and Bernadette Whiffletail. She greeted them cheerily, having grown with them over the past five years, and they began to unpack sharing stories of their summer.

* * *

Her roommates were still quite asleep when Katrina awoke the next morning. As she stretched and rose out of bed, she saw the sun just barely over the lake horizon in the distance. The watch she was slipping onto her wrist had two thin, black hands pointed at the word SLEEP, which as soon as Katrina laid eyes on it, melted and reappeared as MORNING.

Breakfast wouldn't start until 7:30, and it was surely half an hour until then. Katrina opened the chest at the foot of her bed and pulled out her talking mirror. Her hair was still the bright aqua she had gone to bed with — the color was beginning to grow on her. Slipping the mirror back into the chest before it could speak, Katrina dressed into her school robes and headed off to familiarize herself with the castle once again.

Although she could remember every corridor, every tapestry, and every suit of armor in great detail, a good walk through Hogwarts in the morning was always welcome to Katrina. The Hall of Hexes was magnificently lit by the rising sun and further raised her spirits. She was only a bit shocked when a light dinging interrupted her gazing at the blue sky.

Staring down at her watch again, Katrina saw the words GO, TO, and BREAKFAST blink at every chime. Was it already that late? She shrugged to herself mentally, then walked down the hall and back to the Grand Staircases, which were moving around as much as any other year, easily trekking her way down to the Great Hall.

Buzzing filled her ears. It was already nearly eight, when Katrina usually had breakfast, and most students had left their dormitories for a meal before the first classes of the year began. Katrina gazed over at the Ravenclaw Table for a moment, sifting through the heads one by one. Most of them were from her house, but here or there, rarely, there would be somebody in yellow- or red-accented robes. Then, in the middle of the table, was Cora.

She was waving animatedly at Katrina, ushering her over with a wide grin. In her other hand were two pieces of parchment — their schedules. Hardly stifling her grin, Katrina quickly walked over and plopped down beside Cora, who immediately passed her a plate of eggs and bacon along with her schedule.

"We've got Herbology first, together," Cora chimed, cutting up one of her sausages in half and eating it rather briskly. "And Divination tomorrow, and Care of Magical Creatures Friday. Otherwise, I'm afraid I've got classes with the Slytherins." She frowned a bit, but Katrina failed to notice as she was skimming her classes.

"Hufflepuffs and Slytherins this year? Suppose they're trying to keep the twins away from them — I'd really hate to see their Gryffindor spirit show around them." This made Cora smile and continue eating with a bit of a happier air about herself. Katrina eagerly bit into a piece of Bacon, and then frowned deeply.

"Oh dear," she groaned as she saw from the corner of her eye two redheads emerging from the doors, "That means _I'll_ have to deal with their antics."

"Whose antics?" George asked as he slipped in beside Katrina despite the nasty looks other Ravenclaws were giving him.

"You wouldn't be talking about us, would you?" Fred continued, situating himself between a disgruntled fourth-year and Cora, who had begun to grin as Katrina, suddenly grumpy, played with one of her over-easy eggs.

"Wotcher, boys," she mumbled, closing her Schedule and shoving it into her schoolbag somewhere. "What brings you here? Thought you'd surely stick to your own table —"

"Well, we would've, but it's our brother, see," Fred began.

"He won't believe that we've met a metamorphmagus — you —" George said.

"Says that he 'would surely know if such a person was attending Hogwarts, what with him being such an important figure', the git —"

"And you know how competitive we are, Kat —"

"I've known you for a _day,_" Katrina reminded him, shooting George a dangerous glare. He merely smiled.

"About three days now, love," Fred grinned.

"I am _not_ going to go gallivanting around with you two as if I were some trophy —"

"But Katrina!" George grasped her hand, and she fought to snatch it back, "Don't you realize? He's saying that we, your _friends,_ are liars!"

"Which we're not," Fred added.

"For once," Katrina hissed, finally pulling her arm out of George's grip and staring coldly at Fred.

"Oh, come on, Katrina!" Cora pleaded, pulling her hands to her chest and looking positively giddy. "It'll be fun! And look, Lee's waving for us! See?" She pointed over to the Gryffindor table where, indeed, Lee Jordan was beaming and motioning the twins and them over. Before him sat a foul-looking boy with a large pin attached to his chest. Katrina's frown deepened.

"No," she said flatly. Fred defiantly set his jaw.

"Get up," he demanded as he and George stood. Cora followed in suit, and Katrina looked, completely bewildered, up at Fred.

"What?"

"Get _up,_ you twit, I'm introducing you to my brother,"

As he reached for Katrina's arm, she swiftly recoiled. "You're not making me do anything! Do you expect me to just follow your every order?"

She expected Fred to look harsh, angry even, but was surprised when he began to smile again. "You're lonely, I can see it. Now get up, you're going to make friends this year whether you like it or not."

In Katrina's befuddled state, Fred and George successfully pulled her to her feet and pushed her over to the Gryffindor table, where their brother and Lee were waiting for them.

"Well?" said their brother, and Katrina snapped back to reality. Her face flared scarlet and she felt her scalp boiling, but ignored it, set the thought of blinding white fire out of her mind as quickly as it came, and faced the twins with undisguised determination.

"In front of the whole school? I didn't want _you_ to know, and you think I'm comfortable in front of the _whole school?_"

Fred and George grinned. Katrina exclaimed a sort of growl of frustration as she turned toward their brother,who has raised a single eyebrow in curiosity.

"If you tell a sole like your idiot brothers, I swear on Merlin's beard that you will not walk out of this school with ten toes. Do you understand?"

His eyes flashed for a brief moment, fear was etched on his face, but he regained his composure quickly. "Go on, then."

In frustration and fierce furiosity, Katrina allowed her scalp to prickle all it wished and could visibly see the new, pearly-white of her hair reflected in every eye that had suddenly landed on her stiff figure. Mr. Bighead Boy looked like he had been hit in the face with a brick, while Fred, George, and Lee grinned stupidly all around. Cora's good mood was wiped from her face as she approached Katrina slowly, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Happy now, you insufferable pricks?" she grumbled, glancing at the twins from the corner of her eyes. Their smiles had faltered. "I do hope you're enjoying yourselves. And _you,_" she rounded on Percy, who was as white as her hair, "Be a little more considerate of what you say and put that damned foot of yours in your mouth."

And then she stomped away. Cora, stuck between apologizing to the boys and running after Katrina, stood and looked between them, obviously torn. Exhaling shortly and giving them all an apologetic look, she bounded after Katrina, leaving the twins and Lee with mouths agape.

"Katrina!" she yelled as she caught up with Katrina, "_Katrina!_"

"What?" Katrina mumbled. Her hair was returning to its familiar blue.

"They didn't mean it," Cora began.

"I don't care," Katrina continued in a soft voice. "It wasn't that many who saw. It was what he said that I was lonely, of all things! _Lonely!_ I'm not lonely, am I?" she turned to Cora, who was now staring at the floor.

"Well," she shuffled a bit, gripping her fingers together. Katrina raised her eyebrows incredulously.

"_How_ could I be _lonely,_ Cora? I've got you! I've got Alex, Mum and Dad! I'm quite far from lonely, I would say!"

"Katrina," Cora replied, gazing back at her friend with far-from-subtle desperation, "Your confidence is nonexistent! You've got magnificent abilities, Katrina, you really do, but you think that — that — that people are going to _laugh_ at you."

Her face was burning again, Katrina could feel it.

"They won't laugh, Katrina, look at the twins! They laugh at _everything,_ and not once have they laughed at you because of it, have they?"

"I suppose. . . ." Katrina murmured, continuing to walk with no purpose.

Cora was silent for a few minutes, as if she was waiting for Katrina to continue. Then she said, "You should really open up, you know. You're a brilliant friend, I know you are, and sometimes I think. . . . Well, I think that you're strong, Katrina. You know how to stand up for yourself and you can't stand injustice, can you? It's just that — that you've got such a lack in confidence and — and Katrina, I really think the twins could help."

"The twins?" Katrina's voice rung clearly through the deserted hall. She sounded nearly disgusted.

"Yes, the twins! They're practically the definition of confidence, aren't they? They could help you, Katrina, I really, _really_ think they could. Could you just — I don't know — accept them? Put that in that barrier your surround yourself in?" As Katrina didn't reply, Cora frowned. "I think Fred's got a liking of you. George too, but Fred mostly. I think they know how brilliant you are."

Katrina snorted. "Nobody besides you likes me, Cora."

"That's because you've got this wall! This wall that you're completey antisocial and — and — weird and quiet and you want to look like that! You want them all to think that you're invisible, don't you, so they won't alugh at you, when in all reality they would _look up to you,_ if you would just let them see how wonderful you are!"

Again, Katrina looked at her friend. This time, her face was stern and set. Briefly, in the back of her head, she wondered how Cora knew her better than she knew herself.

"We've got Herbology in a half hour," she said quietly, "and I completely forgot my Sugar Quills. I'll meet you there."

Cora let her go, even though she knew perfectly well that Herbology would not require a quill for anything.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER THREE**

* * *

_So uhm? I'm not very sure about this ending? And like wow I really suck Katrina literally just goes to breakfast in this chapter i suck at this whole writing thing sorry uwu _


	4. ESTEEM BOOST

It was quite obvious to Cora that when Katrina entered Herbology she was still in a very, very bad mood. She hardly talked, no matter how many times Cora tried to strike a conversation, and it was honestly getting on the poor Hufflepuff's nerves. She held her tongue, however, knowing that surely next period Katrina would be accompanied by the twins and could only hope that they would apologize.

Transfiguration began with the usual silence as Professor McGonagall stood before her desk. Today, though, the quiet was suffocating. With it being the start of their Fifth Year, the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws all knew that they were about to be lectured about the dreaded Ordinary Wizarding Level Exams.

"Good morning," McGonagall began, pursing her lips like she did every day. The classroom dare not reply.

"As you all know, this is the year that you begin your OWL Examinations. I trust that each and every one of you pass, including you, Misters Weasley," she stared sternly at the twins, who merely grinned in response. Katrina grimaced. "You will study, you will participate, and you will pass. We will be learning _Evanesco_ this year, or the Vanishing Spell. Jordan, pass a snail to every student as I demonstrate —"

Katrina's attention was swiftly drawn away from McGonagall as something hit the side of her head. Pausing a moment and clenching her jaw, she turned and saw Fred and George raising their eyebrows at her expectantly, subtly levitating paper balls with their wands.

"_What?_" Katrina whispered coldly. They grinned.

"That was brilliant, what you said to Percy," Fred breathed, leaning over the gap between their tables with an air of admiration.

"I told him to bugger off," she mumbled back and furrowing her brow.

"Yes, and it was genius," George continued, propping himself on his brother's back. "We applaud you as to being the first girl to stand up to his fat arse."

They pretended to clap quietly and grinned ear to ear as they noticed Katrina's mouth twitching.

"Don't take anything he says seriously though, love," Fred whispered with what he believe was a meaningful look, but Katrina, not understanding, only cocked a brow. "He's a bloody prat is all."

"I was under the impression you Gryffindors are all bloody prats," she said. The twins and Lee, who had just handed them their snails, frowned.

"As we were about all Ravenclaws being snobby know-it-alls." Katrina inhaled sharply and glared dangerously at George, whose frown deepened.

Lee handed her a snail, and Katrina pointedly looked at it instead of the twins. She willed herself to focus on McGonagall's demonstration, but failed as Fred and George's eyes bore into her mind.

Raising her wand, she began to recite "_Evanes_ —", but was interrupted as another paper ball hit her temple. Frustration rising, she faced the boys with cheeks aflame.

"_What in the name of Merlin's beard do you two want?_"

"To say sorry," the chorused.

Katrina was clearly taken aback and closed her mouth the minute she realized it was open.

"E-excuse me?"

"Well," said George, straightening himself, "You were clearly upset by something at Breakfast."

"Dunno what about," Fred continued, propping his elbow on his knee and supporting his chin, "but we figured we probably caused it."

"Why would _you_ want to say sorry, though?"

"You were a trifle distraught, love," Fred replied, raising his own eyebrow at her. "That's what people do, you know, apologize after they've done something wrong."

"Oh," Katrina murmured softly, staring down at her snail and allowing any anger or stubbornness to evaporate. "Then — er — thanks, I guess. . . ."

"No problem," George replied, grinning once again with Fred.

"Misters Weasley!" McGonagall suddenly shouted, and the two of them looked up at her rather lazily. "I do hope you're conversing about the useful properties of the Vanishing Spell with Ms. Rhinehart?"

"No," they replied. McGonagall's lips formed a thinner line than before, if it was possible. Katrina felt her whole face burn as she absentmindedly turned her wand in her fingers.

"Then surely you would gratefully write me a twelve-inch essay of the importance of _Evanesco_ due tomorrow!"

"Alright," they smiled, leaning into their chairs and folding their arms behind their heads in unison.

"Ten points from Gryffindor," the professor said reluctantly.

By the end of the period, Katrina has successfully vanished two snails. Fred had half a snail left, while George's and Lee's had both lost a quarter of a shell. Professor McGonagall was sincerely impressed with all of them (though she didn't tell the twins so) and said that, at their current rate, they should be vanishing mice in the next two weeks.

"Next is Charms," Lee said as their group of four shuffled out of the Transfiguration classroom. "We'll be able to talk in there, Flitwick doesn't mind it as much as the other teachers, I don't think."

"It's because he's the most understanding," Katrina replied haughtily, smiling as they turned a corner. "He's the Ravenclaw Head of House, you know. He's got these little cakes for when you get upset, makes them dance around for you. Only does it for us though, knows that we wouldn't be so brash as to fake it."

Fred, George, and Lee snorted. "What?" Katrina asked.

"As _if,_ Katrina!" Lee replied, "Just because you Ravenclaws are supposedly smart, it doesn't mean that you can't have a few lying gits here or there —"

"_Supposedly?_" she inquired with a small, unbelieving smile. "Lee, that's our main prospect! Every Ravenclaw is intelligent as to every Gryffindor is brave, likewise, every Hufflepuff is loyal while every Slytherin is ambitious!"

"Yes," chimed George, "but that doesn't mean there can't be a bad apple here or there, does it?"

"I suppose," Katrina grumbled as they entered an outside courtyard. "Wait a moment, what are we doing here?"

"Going to Charms," the three of them replied.

"But this is in the opposite direction!"

"No it's not," Lee said as they continued on to a far wall, entering a different corridor. There was a portrait there, where a man stood with his dog. "Hello, Giffard!"

"Good day!" replied the portrait of Giffard Abbot. Katrina was still clearly confused.

Fred rolled his eyes. "_Dragon's Egg,_" he told the portrait, and it swung open obediently. Raising her brow, Katrina followed as the boys filed into the small passageway and, withing moments, found herself on one of the many marble landing in the Grand Staircase. She may have been gaping a bit.

"I never knew that was there!" she said airily in awe, looking at Lee, Fred, and George with wide, bright eyes. "How'd you know of it?"

"Oh, you know —" Fred began.

"Ran around a bit during first year —" George continued.

"Set off a few Dungbombs —"

"Had to get away from Filch, see —"

"Mrs. Norris saw us, the —"

"Anyways!" Lee intervened as Katrina looked around, still somewhat bewildered. "We really must get to the Charms Corridor, wouldn't want Gryffindor's points to go into the negatives on the first day, would we?"

"Guess so," Fred replied.

"I wouldn't mind it," Katrina said with a smile, earning playful glares and a light punch on the shoulder from George.

" 'Course you wouldn't, you little twit," he said with a laugh. "Go on then, your precious Head of House is waiting!"

"Bugger off," Katrina replied with a laugh of her own. She was suddenly very glad that the twins had apologized.

* * *

Lee groaned.

Snape was patrolling around the Potions classroom as per usual, spitting out insults at every Gryffindor possible. Most of these were directed at Fred and George, but Lee was unlucky enough to be their friend, therefore gaining a good half of condescending comments from the Professor.

"Is there a problem, Mr. Jordan?" Snape drawled, pacing up to him again.

"No, Professor," Lee replied with a small scowl, returning to his potion. It was a sickly green rather than bright turquoise. Katrina heard him mutter "Stupid git," under his breath and fought a smile.

"Here," she whispered to him, leaning over the table as Snape turned away from them, "Add another bit of Valerian root, _then_ the Unicorn Horn — yes, that's right — now stir it gently, but quickly —"

"Miss Rhinehart," Katrina jumped and looked wildly about until her eyes locked onto Snape's unamused expression, "I trust you're not _assisting_ Mr. Lee?"

"N-no, sir," she replied shakily, running a hand through her hair as to calm her prickling scalp, "I was just explaining why the Unicorn Horn is such an important ingredient, sir, as when added into the potion at the precise amount can cause all anxiety to dissipate from the drinker —"

"Yes," Snape droned, "And I assume that because of this brilliance of yours, you would gratefully write me a one and a half-foot long essay as to powdered Unicorn Horn's properties?"

"Of course, sir," Katrina said with a frown, and turned back to her perfectly-brewed Draught of Peace with clenched teeth.

"Good," said Snape, and continued to roam the classroom.

"Brilliant, more homework," she mumbled as she stared at the back of his head. Fred and George looked rather miffed, but faced Katrina with small grins nevertheless.

"I though you Ravenclaws fancied homework?" Fred asked.

"No," Katrina snapped impatiently, "We _fancy_ learning things that we're interested in. We don't fancy work that won't give us any gain."

"Time is up," Snape announced as he strode behind his desk, "Bottle your potions and label them with your names before handing them to me."

Lee and the twins audibly grumbled along with multiple others in the room. Everyone, reluctantly or otherwise, slipped a bit of their potion into a vial and gave it to Professor Snape, most with grimaces on their faces. As they left, Fred, George, and Lee began to lead Katrina through another secret passage, this one behind a portrait of Salazar Slytherin (who did not seem very happy to move).

"What's your next class?" George asked her as they entered the side room of the Entrance Hall. Katrina pulled out her timetable from a pocket of her schoolbag and looked over it quickly.

"Muggle Art," she stated, and the twins made a sort of odd face. "And you three?"

"Ghoul Studies," they all stated happily, but Katrina frowned.

"You don't know a portrait to the fifth floor, would you?" she asked. The twins grinned.

"You're catching on," Fred stated and clapped Katrina on her shoulder as she bashfully smiled.

"It's just easier. . . ."

"Hengist Rawkes, he's not far from here," Lee pointed off toward the Grand Staircase as they walked into the Entrance Hall. "Password's 'Horseradish'."

"Should lead you up around the Prefect's Bathroom," George continued as they began to climb a few steps. "Here he is! Hello, Hengist!"

"Boys," the man in the painting nodded. He seemed oddly domineering.

"Must be off, love," Fred said as he gave Katrina a bit of a two-fingered salute.

"Stay out of trouble," she replied playfully, and the four of them grinned at one another until the boys finally went up to get to Ghoul Studies.

"_Horseradish,_" Katrina then relayed to the portrait, which obediently swung open. Clambering inside before she gained much attention, she closed it behind her and walked a bit, emerging in the fifth floor corridor with a grin on her face.

* * *

Katrina entered dinner with her fingers covered in Muggle paint. She seemed rather pleased with herself as she sat beside Padma Patil, who was currently in a deep conversation with Terry Boot. Raising her wand, Katrina waved it around her hands a bit and murmured "_Tergeo._" Immediately, the paint vanished.

"Well done," Cora said as she walked by the Ravenclaw table. Katrina looked up at her with a smile. "I've just met the twins. I do hope they apologized, because they've invited us 'for dinner'."

"Oh really?" Katrina laughed lightly as she peered over the Gryffindor table, where, indeed, Fred, George, and Lee were all waving her over enthusiastically. "I suppose we could join them, don't you?"

"Absolutely," Cora replied, positively beaming. Katrina stood up from her seat and followed her down to their little group, where the two of them sat across from the boys and beside some bushy-haired girl. Percy was down a ways and scowling in their direction, no doubt thinking something along the lines of different house students at his house's table. Meanwhile, Harry Potter was sitting beside Fred (or George, whichever one it was) and across from the bushy-haired girl, talking to another redhead beside him who had an odd resemblance to the twins.

"Well go on," George piped and waved a hand at Cora and Katrina. He was the one beside Harry. "Introduce yourselves!"

Cora rolled her eyes good-naturedly as Harry and his friends looked at them along with a few other Gryffindors. "Cora Calloway," she said, "Hufflepuff, fifth year."

After a quick glance at Katrina, who was sitting just the slightest bit stiffly, she continued, "And this is my friend Katrina, she's a Ravenclaw. Excuse her, she's a bit quiet at first —"

"But a right loud git when she's comfortable," Fred piped with a grin. Katrina shot him an exasperated — yet somehow grateful — glare.

"I am not a git," she stated matter-of-factly, straightening her back and raising her jaw. The boys snickered.

"What're you sitting here for, then?" The redheaded boy beside Harry asked. Out of the corner of her eye, Katrina say the bushy-haired girl give him a look. "What?"

"You're being rude!" she stated. The redheaded boy shrugged.

"I was just asking," he said.

"That's Ron," said Fred.

"Our brother," George explained.

"He's a bloke, sure you've noticed."

"Hey!" Ron exclaimed, looking past Harry and at Fred, "I'm as much of a bloke as you are!"

"You must be quite a bloke then," Katrina reasoned, sipping a bit of pumpkin juice from her goblet to hide her smile as Ron looked confused. Harry laughed along with Lee and George.

"Oy!" Fred said.

"Well you are," Katrina reasoned, setting her goblet down with a sly smirk, "You and your dear brother said so in Diagon Alley, remember? 'Most handsome _blokes_ in Hogwarts', if I remember correctly."

"_You're_ the one who said that, love, I thought we already established that?"

"You said what?" Cora asked. Katrina flushed violently.

"Nothing! I never said anything —"

"She did knock over a bowl of pea soup, though," George snickered. Katrina set her jaw and felt her scalp boiling under her hair. Cora was laughing politely behind her hand.

The bushy-haired girl, apparently noticing how embarrassed Katrina was becoming, said, "I'm Hermione Granger, third year. Pleasure to meet you."

Silently, Katrina thanked Hermione for being so keen. "Pleasure's all mine, Hermione. And you," she turned to Harry, who seemed surprised, "I know you already, so don't worry about introductions." Harry smiled in greeting and what might have been relief. Indeed, the whole school knew him; with Katrina knowing of him since her third year, he was much less of an icon and more of a student at this point. Though, she had to admit, the rumors surrounding his adventures in Hogwarts were rather interesting.

"And they," George said, pointing to a group of girls beside Lee, "Are Angelina, Alicia, and Katie." They all waved in turn. "They're going to be your new girlfriends so you two can squeal about how cute we are."

"Are you assigning us friends now, George?" Cora asked as Katrina gave him a perplexed sort of look. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were concerned, of all things!"

Lee chuckled as George waved off the comment offhandedly. "Nah, we just know how you girls work is all! Need to gossip, you know, things like that —"

"Come off it!" Angelina barked from beside Lee with a grin. "You know we'd much rather send a Bludger to your head than talk about who's going out with who!"

"Or would you?" Fred asked as he chewed on a scone, "I do believe just last night you were talking about McLaggen being 'open', am I right?"

The three girls began to blush, and Katrina found herself giggling with Cora. It was odd how, suddenly, she felt more at home with the Gryffindors than with her fellow Ravenclaws. They had a much more welcoming atmosphere, she figured.

"Your hair!" Ron exclaimed suddenly. Katrina jumped at looked at him in surprise. He was wide-eyed and his mouth was open. Finally taking notice, she saw that the others at the table — besides Cora, Fred, George, and Lee — were all looking the same. "It's green! But it was just blue a second ago!"

"What?" she asked, then look a lock of her hair and, to her surprise, it had indeed turned bright green. She had let her guard down. As her cheeks began to burn, it became a violent violet.

"And now it's purple!" Ron gasped. George reached over and hit him over the top of his head.

"We're not blind, you divvy," he muttered.

"You're a metamorphmagus, aren't you?" Hermione breathed. Before Katrina could reply, Harry spoke up.

"Sorry, a _what?_"

"A metamorphmagus, Harry, it's a sort of — well — er —"

"She can be anything," George concluded.

"Anything?" Harry and Ron asked. Deciding to actually be confident in herself (boy, were the twins getting to her), Katrina forced the color in her hair and face to return back to normal.

"Anything," she said with a small smile. "I could show you, if you'd like?"

"Please!" Ron said, now clearly excited. He and Harry leaned forward expectantly, while Hermione sighed and groaned something along the lines of "You _idiots!_" Katrina, however, began to grin.

Cora seemed thoroughly pleased as Ron asked for a dog.

Scrunching up her face, Katrina thought of a single image in her mind. At this point, the others at the table were also on the edge of their seats. Within a moment's notice, her face had contorted in some sort of human snout with a wet, tomato nose. The twins and Lee clapped and whooped appreciatively as Katrina gave a snarl, and was back to her usual rounded face within a moment's notice. She was, once again, blushing.

"Wicked," Ron whispered, then said, "Another!"

"Do you think you could do a cat?" Hermione asked in undisguised amazement. Katrina laughed lightly, and scrunched up her face again. Her nose and mouth was replaced with the muzzle of a Persian's. As the boys clapped again and Harry mouthed a "Wow," Cora moved over and whispered into Katrina's ear.

"See, it's not so bad," she said, and as Katrina looked at her, normal once again, she winked. Katrina beamed.

"A Duck!" Katie requested from beside Alicia, who was beginning to clap with Fred, George, and Lee. Katrina easily complied, quacking a bit as her lips and nose elongated into a yellow duck bill.

"Pig!" Fred exclaimed and began to howl as Katrina snorted around with a wide, flattened snout.

More and more wild requests came about, and here or there would be a student from farther down the table looking her way. Oddly enough, Katrina found herself enjoying the attention. She didn't feel like a source of laughter at all, but more of a friend to laugh with — to be blunt, they were laughing with her rather than _at_ her. And, for the first time in a long while, she felt a surge of pride pulse through her body as her face turned into a replica of Snape.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER FOUR**

* * *

_And there you have it! At first I was a bit worried about having Katrina sit with the Gryffindors so soon, but I don't think that it matters much so long as she's not there every meal of every day (that would be sorta dumb, wouldn't it?).  
_

_Anyways! Homework, what a bore, am I right? Bluh. Also, kudos to anyone who noticed the Homestuck reference in the last chapter, eheheh. Insuffereable pricks. Aren't I gr8? o; (not really)  
_


	5. QUIDDITCH? YOU PLAY QUIDDITCH?

Care of Magical Creatures turned out to be quite boring with Hagrid, as he seemed afraid of teaching anything interesting and had each of his classes fondle flobberworms. Rumor was that he had hippogriffs on the first day, but that one of them harmed a third year Slytherin boy and since he's become anxious. Katrina wasn't quite sure she believed the story, as rumors in Hogwarts had a tendency to be over-the-top, but wouldn't put it past the new professor.

Divination, however, was very interesting. Albeit Professor Trelawney was a bit of an 'old bat', as George eloquently put it, she did make for a rather different lesson atmosphere. The moment she sat foot in there, Trelawney stated that Katrina was incredibly skilled with the "Gift of Seeing", and even though the boys (Fred, George, and Lee had all decided to get an "easy O" and take Divination) were blabbering about what a load of rubbish it was, Cora seemed impressed.

"To think!" she had said, "You could have Seer blood in your family! How cool is that?"

Indeed, as Trelawney had them all gaze into Crystal Balls, Katrina had remarked that she had seen something along the lines of a great, dead Willow tree. The professor was utterly impressed and had begun to mutter something along "On the first day, too! My, my. . . ."

"She's a right minger, she is," George remarked as the five of them hurried down the spiral staircase. Cora slapped him on the arm, failing horribly at suppressing a smile.

"Be quiet! She'll hear you!"

"I rather like her," Katrina said as they finally stepped off the last step and hurried toward the Grand Staircase. Fred, George, and Lee looked at her incredulously.

"You're only saying that 'cause she likes you!" Fred exclaimed as they turned down a corridor.

"Am not!" Katrina retorted.

"Are to!" George countered, "If she hadn't have said anything, you would've said she was barmy!"

"I would not have!"

"Would too," the twins muttered under their breath. Cora began to laugh as Katrina raised her chin importantly, and the girls nearly didn't notice that the boys had stopped walking until they were halfway down the corridor.

"What'd you stop for?" Cora called as she turned. Katrina looked oddly confused for a moment before she realized the three of them were in front of a large tapestry.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, then looked at Cora, "You've never done it, have you? Come on then," Katrina took Cora's wrist and led her to the boys, who were all grinning. Cora was obviously still wondering just what was going on.

"Ladies first," Lee beamed as he pulled the tapestry back, revealing a tall, thin passageway that probably led to the Grand Staircase. As Cora gasped, Katrina began to grin herself and stepped inside, pulling her friend with her.

The boys shuffled in behind them, either Fred or George pulling the tapestry back in place. Although it was dark, the passageway was incredibly easy to navigate; They were in a corridor near the Grand Staircase after just a few sharp turns.

"Wow," Cora gasped, and then rounded on the boys as they came out from behind the tapestry after her. "How did you know about that?"

"A wizard never reveals his secrets," George replied, waving his finger back and forth with his eyebrows raised and a large smile on his face. Cora pouted, resulting in the twins and Lee to begin laughing while Katrina slowly began to smile.

"How well do you even know Hogwarts?" she asked them, raising a single brow. "You've made plenty more trouble than I've heard of, surely, all because of these secret passageways, haven't you?"

"On the nose!" Fred exclaimed, looping an arm around Katrina's shoulders. As Cora eyed them, she was a bit surprised to see that Katrina didn't shove him off. "We know Hogwarts like the back of our hands, don't we, George?"

"Something like that," George replied. Lee continued to grin and snickered a bit behind his palm. Katrina gave him a suspicious look.

"Let's just say," he said with an air of gloating, "that we promised a few dear friends of ours that we'd stay — er —"

"Up to no good," the twins began to smiled widely again, resulting in the girls groaning.

"You haven't explained anything, though!" Cora said as they began to push her in the direction of her next class, Ancient Runes.

"What makes you think we're going to?" the twins asked as she reluctantly turned on her heel and ran up the staircase.

"Clever as you are," Katrina said as the boys faced her, "I'm afraid you're going to run out of excuses if I keep asking you."

"Clever as _you_ are, love," Fred said, returning his arm to his side, "We are by far much more clever and, therefore, we will never run out of excuses."

"What?"

"But off you go!" he and George chimed together, pushing her toward a staircase that had just chinked itself into place.

"You've got class in about fifty seconds, wouldn't want to be late!" Lee exclaimed, waving as Katrina jumped down a faulty step and glared at them playfully before turning down to the portrait of Hengist again and muttering something along the lines of "Horseradish."

* * *

Katrina, Cora, the twins, and Lee had all become quite friendly with each other as the month progressed. By early October, they had all agreed that Professor Lupin was by far their best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher (so much so that even Fred and George seemed to respect him a bit) and that Care of Magical Creatures, a class all five of them took together, was incredibly boring with Hagrid. The boys, however, defended him loyally, stating that he was only nervous; the girls decided it was best to agree, even if they did feel a bit disappointed with him.

"Afraid we can't hang around much after Dinner," George said to them as they entered the entrance hall. Lee nodded while Katrina and Cora gave him and Fred an odd, confused sort of look.

"Why's that?" Cora asked. George rolled his eyes at her.

"Quidditch practice, of course! You don't think we'd skimp food for nothing, do you?" Fred replied.

"You play Quidditch?" Katrina seemed bewildered. Fred, George, Lee, and even Cora gave her exasperated stares.

"Katrina, they've been playing for Gryffindor the last three or so years!" Cora exclaimed, wide-eyed.

"Oh," Katrina murmured, "Sorry, sorry. . . . I've never been one to pay attention to Quidditch."

"Never been one — _'never been one to pay attention to Quidditch'?_" Lee gaped, and Katrina clenched her teeth in embarrassment. The twins looked like they were going to explode with surprise and near aggravation.

"You'd think you were Muggle-born!" Fred said loudly.

"Not that there's anything wrong with Muggle-borns," George exclaimed quickly as Katrina recoiled in a disgusted manner.

"But a witch not paying attention to Quidditch!" Fred bellowed, "That's like a Muggle reading the _Daily Prophet_!"

"It's not like I don't know how the game works," Katrina spat, "My brother's a Hufflepuff Chaser, you don't think he'd leave me out of the loop —"

"Your _brother?_" Fred asked, immediately reverting from his distraught attitude to something much more innocent and curious, "He plays Quidditch?"

"No, you ignoramus," Katrina said with her words like acid "he's only probably been hit by one of your bloody Bludgers — And you wonder why he's so terrified of you! You've practically traumatized him!"

Fred and George grimaced while Lee furrowed his brow thoughtfully.

"As a matter of fact," Katrina now said in a dignified manner, "I'm going to sit with him now and tell him how to distract you two long enough to hit you in the head with the Quaffle." And she was off, carrying her books importantly in her crossed hands and with her chin raised. The twins' frowns increased as Cora suddenly began to stifle giggles.

"What's with her?" Fred grumbled. Cora's laughter increased just the slightest bit as she answered, "I think she's torn between what team she should root for. Her own house, her brother's, or yours?"

"Wotcher," Alex mumbled as he glanced up at his sister with an odd, confused expression before turning back to his friends, and then at Katrina again in a double take when she sat down.

"What?"

"Blue!" he stated, pointing at her head. She was confused at first, and then seemed to finally register as Cedric Diggory looked her way.

"Oh!" Katrina took a rather thick piece of hair from her shoulder and brought it up a little bit so she could see, "Yeah, yeah, it's been like that for nearly a month now. Surely you've seen me since?" Her voice was inquiring as Alex began to turn a slight shade of pink.

"Well," he muttered, looking down at his half-empty plate, "I've been avoiding those twins ever since we met up with them, and I thought you might have a lot of classes with them and that's why I wasn't seeing you."

"Sounds about right," Katrina couldn't help but smile at her younger brother, tousling his hair with her hand and receiving a few laughs from his friends. Alex began to flush more as Susan Bones giggled into her palm.

"They're not bothering you, are they?" he asked, suddenly stern. Now Katrina began to laugh airily with the other Hufflepuffs surrounding her.

"Of course they are," she sighed, pulling a plate filled with roast lamb toward herself and poking at it absentmindedly with her fork, "I'm some sort of rare occurrence, I suppose, so why wouldn't they?"

Alex snorted, and his friends began to look between him and his sister, awaiting an explanation.

"Metamorphmagus," she mumbled, pointing a finger at his face and turning it around in quick circles. A few of them still looked confused, but Alex seemed more scared than anything.

"You've become rather brash lately, haven't you?" he said, raising his eyebrows.

"Can't really hang around the twins and not be," she replied, slurping up a slice of stewed carrot. After a brief silence, she continued, "Did you know they play Quidditch? Make sure to pummel Gryffindor next time you play them, will you?"

Cedric began to grin from across Alex. "Of course," he replied.

* * *

The following day was much less enjoyable. Katrina started out oddly sleepy because of Astronomy the night before, and Defense Against the Dark Arts was a simple review lesson about Grindylows. Care of Magical Creatures was as boring as ever, and Potions was dreadful now that Snape officially considered her as a part of the twins' group. Divination was the one class she truly enjoyed, and even then, all Katrina did was doze off beside the cracked window as the chilly breeze floated by, easing her of the stuffy, perfume-flavored atmosphere that Trelawney seemed to love so much.

Now, however, she was graced with a rare free period — her one and only free period, the one where her Art and Muggle Art classes did not interfere. Shifting her bag on her shoulder as she hurried down the staircase of the Divination Tower, Katrina was set on studying in the Library. However, before she could even get halfway down, she was stopped by the twins and Lee.

"Fancy a visit with Hagrid?" George asked as the three of them walked in step with her. Katrina might have frowned the slightest bit.

"I dunno," she said slowly, gazing down at Cora, who was rushing to get to Magical Theory.

"Come on," Lee said, clapping her on the shoulder, "It'll be fun! Hagrid's great when he's not teaching, really!"

Katrina sighed. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to visit. . . ."

"Get a move on, then!" chorused the twins, looping an arm each between her elbows and beginning to rapidly drag her down the stairs as George continued, "We've _only_ an hour and a half till Dinner, you know, so we really must rush."

Trekking down to Hagrid's took about ten minutes, all the while Fred and George dragging Katrina and Lee telling her all about a giant tarantula he had smuggled in his third year. This brought along the subject of Fred changing his younger brother Ron's old teddy bear into a spider when he was little, in which Katrina began to scold him about traumatizing too many children in his lifetime thus far.

"Well it wasn't my fault!" Fred retorted as Lee knocked on the door of Hagrid's hut, "I didn't even have a wand then, it wasn't like I could control it!"

The door creaked open to reveal Rubeus Hagrid, a man two times taller than the twins (who were already rather tall) and about three times as wide. He looked rough at first, holding a battered old crossbow, but quickly became surprised as he looked down at the four of them.

"Oh!" he exclaimed in his deep voice, "Sorry, sorry, wasn't expectin' visitors —"

"What's that for?" George asked apprehensively, nodding at the crossbow. Hagrid looked at it for a second, and then began to smile timidly.

"Jus' an extra precaution. Can't have 'nough, y'know.

"Bu' come in, come in!" he suddenly bellowed, moving over and motioning them all inside, "Can't jus' leave you out in the cold, can I?"

Katrina shuffled in behind Fred and George, who had now finally let go of her. She rather awkwardly sat herself in a large chair beside Lee and Fred, who seemed more or less comfortable.

"An' what're you doin' here?" Hagrid asked as he sat down in an even larger chair, which creaked under his weight. Katrina blushed a bit and shoved a handful of thick blue hair behind her ear as the boys began to grin.

"Thought we'd visit you," George explained cheekily, "We'd also like to congratulate you on your new status, _Professor._" If she could have seen behind his scraggly beard, Katrina would have sworn that Hagrid was blushing.

"Well, that's migh'y kind of yeh," he replied, dabbing his eyes a bit with his ragged cloak. After a few loud sniffs, he asked, "Tea?"

The boys nodded as Katrina began to lean far into the back of her chair. A very large, very wrinkly black dog was approaching her. She knew the dog, she had seen it before, but never had it come so close as to sniff her knee and place his chin on it, drooling all over her robes.

"Back, Fang!" Hagrid said as he lightly pushed the boarhound away from Katrina, "Back! Oh," he looked at her, apparently surprised. He must have not noticed her come in behind Fred and George. "Miss Rhinehart! Didn't see yeh there!

"What're you doin' with — er —" Hagrid nervously nodded behind him at the boys, who had begun to wrestle with Fang, "Them?"

It took all her strength, suddenly, to not laugh. "I — well — ahem —" Katrina giggled a bit as Fred and George bumped their heads together and exclaimed loudly in unison. "They've struck a chord in me I suppose, Professor."

"Oh," Hagrid began to smile so widely, she could see his teeth glinting from behind his beard. "Well, they've needed a good voice o' reason. Maybe you can help with that, eh, Miss Rhinehart?"

"At this rate," Katrina replied with a sigh, "I'm afraid I'm going to be begging to join them by the end of the year."

"All the same," Hagrid chuckled, thudding loudly over to his small kettle to begin making tea, "Jus' don't go gettin' yerself expelled — they're ruddy good rule breakers."

""You'd better believe it!" Fred roared as Fang toppled him over, slobbering all over his face. Katrina couldn't keep herself from laughing and, not long after, had joined in on their fun.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER FIVE**

* * *

_Whoa wow sorry this one took long uwu This is actually the first chapter I've had to fully write since posting the story online, all the others were either finished or mostly finished. From now on I'll be posting chapters by when i get them finished, and not on any sort of set schedule because that'll only stress me out. Currently I'm quite sick with what could be Strep or Bronchitis and next week (Monday through Wednesday) is Midterms, which I've never done before as this is my first year of High School. It could take up to another week or two for the next chapter or only a couple of days, depending on how I feel!  
_

_On another note, no, Katrina's not going to have any relationship with Cedric or anything. He's just friends with Alex is all uwu  
_

_Also hey — just as this little small itty-bitty tiny little note here that you don't really need to follow but I would appreciate it if you did — I would really love it if some of you guys reviewed o; You can even say some bad things! But if you did, I'd love for you to add ways I could resolve the problem. Thank you! ouo  
_


	6. NOT-SO-EARLY MORNING

"How could you not know how to ride a _broom?_" Fred asked in one of the most distraught voices Katrina had heard him speak in yet. Huffing and furrowing her brow, she angrily poked her frog, which was opening its mouth continuously but not uttering a sound.

"I know _how_ to, I'm just not good at flying!"

"But you're a _witch,_ Katrina!" George said, not even paying attention to his swelling crow.

"_Silencio,_" Katrina muttered, waving her wand at the poor bird and it began to return to normal size without a sound. "And not all witches can so much as _ride_ brooms, George! At least I _can,_ should I want to."

"Ravenclaws," Fred muttered to his twin, who nodded his head in agreement. Katrina shot them both a glare that could kill, and they seemed to get the picture as they quickly began to jab at their crows.

"At least I know how to brew a Cure for Boils," she stated smugly, swapping her frog for Lee's screeching crow (which he thankfully handed over) and began to charm it to silence.

Fred and George seemed to glow red at this, but Katrina failed to notice as this particular crow decided to flap wildly out of her aim.

"_Aresto Momentum!_" she scolded with another wave of her wand, and the crow suddenly seemed to be moving in slow motion despite its many cries. "_Silencio!_"

"Well done, well done!" Professor Flitwick cried as the crow was immediately silenced. "Ten points to Ravenclaw, Miss Rhinehart! Excellent Charm work!"

"Thank you, Professor!" she chimed happily, sitting her wand on her desk amongst the muttering crowd of Ravenclaws and Gryffindors.

"Kiss-ass," Fred and George mumbled.

"Shut _up!_" Katrina whispered harshly, facing the two of them with a dreadful scowl. "I am not a — a kiss-ass!"

"Ooh, resulting to cursing now, are we?" Fred grouched, and none of them payed much attention as Katrina's hair beamed white.

"You're the ones who — who — _augh!_" And, with that, she slammed open her book of spells and began to flip through it angrily.

"Anyways, Katrina," Lee said, looking over the three of them as if they were green-colored boils, "We've got two-foot essays for History of Magic due tomorrow, and none of us know a bit about Broderick the Barmy. The twins and I were thinking about sneaking you into the Gryffindor Common Room to help us after curfew —"

"_What?_" Katrina asked, flabbergasted to say the least. Her eyes were bulging and her hair was suddenly pink, a sign of surprise. "But that's completely — do you want me to get expelled? We're not supposed to see each others' common rooms!"

"Hence 'sneak', you twit," Fred mumbled, but recoiled after a swift stomp on the foot.

"You might as well be asking me to follow you into the Restricted Section of the library at midnight!" she seethed, lowering her voice so that no preening Ravenclaws could hear (as she knew a good lot of them were keen on eavesdropping).

"That was our first idea, actually," George piped from beside Fred, who was massaging his foot, "But we figured you'd definitely blow up at that."

"I would not _'blow up'_," Katrina folded her arms tightly against her chest, and the boys all rolled their eyes.

"C'mon, Katrina, you're the only one who pays a lick of attention to Binns!" Lee pleaded, "And it's not like where asking you to walk into the Forbidden Forest alone, we'll be with you the whole time! Look, I bet George could lend you some of his extra Gryffindor wear and we can just pull you right in, no problem!"

Slowly, she began to unfold her arms. Looking between George and Lee, Katrina finally sighed and shook her head to herself. "You're going to get me expelled, I can feel it — I'll never get to my NEWTs at this rate."

Lee, however, only grinned.

* * *

"Just slip this on," George said quietly, handing Katrina a red-and-gold striped tie. She hastily began to slip it on under her robes, shuffling between the boys in the tight passageway and shoving her old tie into her schoolbag.

"It'd be best if you looked different, too," Fred mumbled, looking out from behind the portrait door warily. After a few seconds, he motioned for them all to pile out into the deserted corridor. "I think the Fat Lady would notice a blue-haired Gryffindor."

However, as he looked to Katrina, he didn't see her. Instead, in her place, was Katie Bell. The boys blinked — Lee even blanched a little — before they finally seemed to realize what was going on.

"Well lead the way, you lazy sods," Katrina muttered in Katie's voice, "I'm not keen on getting caught, specifically with the likes of you."

Nodding, Fred began to lead the way down the corridor. Katrina was stiff and clearly uncomfortable, eyes darting in every direction in case a professor turned a corner. They weren't even out late yet, technically, as it was only 8:30; Nonetheless, the thought of breaking the rules seemed to be getting to her.

"Are we there yet?" she whispered out, and Fred slumped his shoulders exasperatedly.

"Katrina, we are a group of Gryffindors going to the Gryffindor Common Room. Even Peeves wouldn't think to stop us, we look so normal."

"Oh," she mumbled, "Right. Sorry."

"We're here anyways," George said, pointing at a dozing portrait of, indeed, a very fat lady.

"_Fortuna Major,_" Fred told the lady, and she nodded her head and swung aside without a second thought. Katrina took in a shaky breath, clenched her fists, and stepped inside.

Oddly enough, most of her anxiety seemed to leave her the moment she entered the common room. It was a bright ruby-red, accented with golds and browns, and the room itself seem to warm her insides. Squashy chairs, decorative tapestries, and a mantle alight with a fire — it was much cozier than Ravenclaw Tower (though in her personal opinion, the Ravenclaw Common Room was still the best). Lee clapped her on the back as she gaped around and the twins nearly fell into a large sofa, propping their feet on a coffee table and grinning.

Slowly, Katrina seated herself awkwardly beside George, brushing Katie's hair out of her face and gazing around at the other Gryffindors who, unsurprisingly, suspected nothing.

"You're probably safe now," Lee told her, sitting down in an armchair across from her, "It's just the Fat Lady we had to worry about, I doubt anybody in here would bother, now that you're inside."

"Besides maybe Percy," George mused, staring up at the ceiling and folding his arms behind his head, "But he probably favors Ravenclaws, you know, since he's dating that Clearwater girl."

"Penelope," Katrina corrected him automatically, then shook her head. "No, I think he would surely report me if he saw —"

"Even if he did," Fred said, twirling his wand in his fingers, "You could just change again, couldn't you? Into something like a book, so a professor wouldn't notice."

Katrina grimaced, and she was sure that Alicia wouldn't enjoy the ugly look on her face. "Oh, fine. But if I loose points for Ravenclaw because of you three —"

"Yeah, yeah," the twins waved at her lazily, not even looking in her direction. Lee, however, snickered a bit to himself.

"You could always just say the twins forced you into it," he laughed, "McGonagall would definitely believe it."

Katrina snorted, and her face contorted into something awfully thoughtful. Seconds later, she was back to normal and looking anxious.

A boy stirred from the back of the room, but Fred, George, and Lee failed to notice. Slowly, Katrina began to sink further into the sofa.

"Y-you were saying something about essays?" she stuttered, willing herself to turn invisible but realizing that that would hardly keep anyone from noticing the floating clothes left in her place.

"Right!" Lee said, sifting through his bag and pulling out parchment, ink, and a quill. "Professor Binns wants two feet for —"

"Broderick the Barmy," she interrupted with a nod, "Yeah, I finished him Friday afternoon. What's took you all so long?"

"Stuff," the twins replied airily and Katrina shot them both a look that they failed to notice.

"How I got mixed up with you lot I'll never know," she mumbled to herself, well aware that they could all hear her. "But back to the papers — You haven't even started?"

"No," they all replied, and she sighed deeply.

"All right, this is going to be a long night. . . . Let's start out with a quick introduction. Come on," she pushed George lightly into Fred, finally gaining their attention. "Pull out your parchment and things, you'll want this done before midnight, won't you?"

"Something like that," George said stiffly and began rummaging through his bag with Fred. It took them a good minute to pull out all their things. Sighing again, Katrina pulled her bag into her back and took out a medium-sized roll of parchment, her Color-Change Ink and a Sugar Quill. Setting all this on the coffee table, she uncorked the ink and dipped her quill inside of it, scribbling a few things down and then sticking the sugary feather end into her mouth.

"All right, so Broderick the Barmy — He was born in Wales during —"

"E-excuse me,"

Katrina jumped and wildly looked around, only to lay eyes on a smaller, frail-looking boy. He jaw tightened as they stared at each other for a moment, quill still latched between her teeth.

"I-I, uhm . . . J-just what are you — er — doing?" he asked tentatively, and before Katrina could reply, the twins butted in.

"Tutoring," they said, gazing at him with their eyebrows raised.

"B-but . . . she's not allowed!" the boy stuttered, and Fred groaned.

"Sod off, Neville, she's just helping us write a bloody essay."

"Not exactly doing any harm, is she?" George continued, giving this Neville boy a look that clearly said "go away", though in a much nicer way than Fred had insisted.

"I . . . suppose . . ." Neville looked down at his shuffling feet, and Katrina did her best to smile.

"Don't worry, I'm not like them," she tried to reassure him, but Neville still seemed a bit distraught as she said, "They've just dragged me along is all. Decided a Ravenclaw was best suited for the job, the inconsiderate gits."

Almost guiltily, Neville nodded and sulked back to his seat.

"Uhm," Katrina looked back to the boys, who shrugged in unison. "Right then. Back to Broderick," and she took her quill again, sucked on it a bit, and scribbled a bit more onto her parchment. "Born in 245 BC, he was well-known as a crazy wizard boy who had a knack for getting himself in trouble. Nearly got trampled by a herd of winged horses, let loose a batch of boggarts, things like that —"

"Blimey," Lee muttered as he rapidly scratched what he could onto his paper, "You're like Hermione all over again! A human dictionary, I mean."

"I wasn't put into Ravenclaw for nothing," she said importantly, looking over George's parchment. "Paraphrase, George! Otherwise you'll be accused of copying."

George tsked, scratching out what he had scrawled and writing a longer sentence.

"Good," Katrina returned to her quill and wrote another note to herself, "And then he apparated to a muggle village when he was about fifteen, see, and plainly used magic in front of them —"

"Isn't he that prat Mum used to tell us about?" Fred said suddenly, pausing from his writing and looking at George. " _'Don't be like Broderick the Barmy and use magic smarmy'_ or something like that."

"Yeah," George said, apparently realizing something as he gazed off into the distance. Katrina began to smile with Lee. "Sounds familiar. Almost like something that would be in _Beedle the Bard_."

"Well, it isn't," Katrina said smugly, sitting back into the couch, "But it _is_ in your History book —"

"We're not reading," Fred said plainly, and she frowned. "We wanted to be told what to write, not read it."

"That's something to admit," she snorted.

By 11:00, Katrina was fully comfortable in the common room. None of the Gryffindors seemed to really mind her (something she was extremely grateful for) and even if they asked, the boys and she would merely reply with "Tutoring," and they would leave them be. She was now perched over the back of the couch, dozing slightly, as Fred, George, and Lee continued to scribble on their parchment. Percy sat not far away in his own chair, muttering glumly too himself. He wasn't the slightest bit happy with Katrina's company, but seemed to think the excuse of tutoring was good enough for him.

"And finally, in 165 BC, Broderick died from a Welsh Green's fatal blow," she yawned, and the scratching ceased. Stretching, Katrina felt her joints pop as she flopped onto the sofa beside Fred.

"You can't honestly be tired?" he asked with a small smile as he rolled his parchment up with George and Lee. "It's not even midnight yet!"

She only groaned in response, leaning onto his shoulder as he kicked his bag under the table.

"That's pitiful," he said, amused. "Fifteen years old and you can't even stay up until midnight!"

"I'm just a good student," she yawned again, and Fred looped his arm around her shoulders and shook her lightly before leaning back into the sofa.

"Good student?" he laughed, "If you haven't noticed, love, you're in the Gryffindor Common Room after curfew."

Katrina moaned loudly to herself, covering her face with her hands. "_Nooooo,_" said, and George laughed with his brother. Lee had just finished kicking his own bag under the table when he looked up at them again.

"How're we going to get her back to Ravenclaw Tower?" he asked, "She's in a right state like this. . . ."

Fred shrugged, shaking Katrina again as she let loose another long groan. "We'll take her back after the sun's up so Mr. Bighead over there —" he nodded behind him at Percy, "— doesn't have a fit."

"But I won't get any sleep!" Katrina wailed quietly, curling her legs up and into her chest, still covering her eyes.

"Sleep here, then!" Fred laughed lightly, and she slumped onto his lap with a miserable grunt. The boys only chuckled, clearly entertained.

"You're much more fun when you're tired," Fred said, and she grunted again.

"Go to sleep, Katrina," George chuckled, propping his feet on the table again. "We'll wake you."

"Alright," she mumbled absently, already drifting off and letting her sleepiness get the better of her.

* * *

_What_ was that godawful sound?

Katrina opened her eyes reluctantly, only to close them again. After raising a hand and rubbing them free of morning gunk, she peered through again. It took her a second to fully process the moment.

There, above her, was Fred Weasley, head leaned onto the couch pack and snoring loudly with his mouth wide open. The room was bright and eerily quiet, and as she shot up from his lap, terror gripped her insides.

The sun was up and the sky was blue, and she was still in the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Fred!" she whispered, turning and looking back at him. He only snored. Fury swelling inside of her, Katrina swiftly rose her hand and slapped his face so harshly he fell into George, who had been slumped forward onto his propped hand. The two of them rose with a start, Fred rubbing his face as his brother pushed him off.

"Wh-what?" Fred asked thickly, his fingers slipping off his chin as he sleepily looked at Katrina, "What was that for?"

Lee had begun to stretch in his chair, but Katrina didn't see him. She had rose her hand again and hit Fred's cheek again with force equal to last time. Now fully awake, he sat up and glared at her, cheeks blazing scarlet.

"_What?_"

Katrina didn't reply. She pointed at the window, and her hair shown like white fire. The boys had suddenly began to look like ghosts.

"Oh."

"If it's after breakfast, you three will be lucky to wake up tomorrow with your heads sewn to the carpet." Katrina said in a deathly calm voice, and the three boys nodded frantically. Sucking in a sharp breath, she bent down and removed George's tie, throwing it in his face and sifting through her bag until she pulled out her blue-and-silver striped tie and began to hastily knot it around her neck. After a thoughtful look, her disheveled hair untangled itself, but didn't change color. Fred and George shared a frightened glance, and rushed to follow her out of the common room without a word.

"What — who are —" the Fat Lady began to say as the four of them walked out, but didn't get to finish as they swiftly turned a corner. To their relief, there was a roar of chatter coming from the Entrance Hall area — they were saved.

"You are _so_ lucky," Katrina breathed, and the boys exhaled baited breath as her hair eased back into its familiar blue.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER SIX**

* * *

_Well, that certainly took less time than expected!_

_Turns out Midterms are completely and utterly easy and not stressful at all uwu Also sorry, I'm spurting out shorter chapters than I usually would — I'm afraid that if I added my other ideas to this chapter, it would be awful long. Sadly, without them, it's awful short. The next one will hopefully be longer!  
_

_Anyways, in this chapter, Katrina's gotten more comfortable around the boys. She's also gone to the Gryffindor Common Room (she'll visit there much more often later on, it's quite an important place for the storyline) and we see she's dreadful at staying up late. Can the boys change that? Maybe o; The romance between Fred and Katrina will be starting to show, now, whether Katrina likes it or not, and hopefully we can get the Fluff Train going full speed before this thing gets cluttered with badly-named chapters *u*  
_

_Also, again, I would be extremely grateful if you took the time to review! (But you certainly don't have to uwu)  
_


	7. THE HANDBOOK OF HIPPOGRIFF PSYCHOLOGY

"Afternoon!" Cora grinned.

Katrina smiled as she sat down beside her at the Hufflepuff table for lunch, muttering a greeting and picking up an apple. Seconds later, they were joined by Alex, Susan Bones, Hannah Abbott, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Ernie Macmillan, Cedric Diggory, and a few other Hufflepuff Quidditch players.

"Seems we have a Ravenclaw in our midst," Alex remarked, gaining a friendly glare from his sister and a few laughs from his housemates. "Still blue, I see?"

"Yep," Katrina took a bite of her apple smugly, chewing it with a superior look on her face. The Hufflepuffs laughed again as Alex rolled his eyes.

"What have the Gryffindors done?" He asked wildly, throwing his hands up into the air, "They've brainwashed my sister! She's become _confident!_ It's barmy!"

"It is not barmy!" Katrina laughed and swiftly kicked Alex in the shin, "I've always been confident!"

"No you haven't," he waved his arm dismissively before massaging his leg, "Need I remind you that fit you had the day before you started your first year? Thought she'd be in Slytherin, this one!" Alex turned to his friends with a smirk as Katrina felt her cheeks burn pink.

"You _cried_ on the train your first year because you thought _you'd_ be put in Slytherin!" she retorted shrilly as the color from Alex's face drained.

"I did not!" he yelled, but Cora and the others had begun to snicker.

"Did too!" Katrina rose her chin importantly, "You ran into Cora's and my apartment bawling like a baby!"

"He really did," Cora whispered to Alex's friends as he began to swiftly glow magenta.

"_You_ cried your third year when Mum mailed you a letter telling you that your old teddy bear ripped!"

Katrina gasped, and in that moment her hair flared violet.

"I told you never to mention that again!"

"Ha-hah!" Alex pointed at her triumphantly as the Hufflepuffs began to laugh behind their hands, "Try topping that, you old codger!"

"I'm not old either!"

"Katrina! Cora!"

Just as she had been reaching back to throw her apple at Alex, Katrina turned and saw Angelina, Alicia, and Katie running over. Immediately, her hair returned back to its normal bright-blue color, but the red of her face still remained.

"Wotcher," she said, furrowing her eyebrows thoughtfully as the three Gryffindors approached. "What's up?"

"Hey!" Angelina grinned, placing her hands on her hips with Alicia and Katie behind her.

"Did you see the announcement the other day?" Katie asked, positively beaming.

"The one about Hogsmeade?" Cora asked.

"Yeah!" Katie said, "It's on Halloween! Not too long from now, actually."

"Yeah, I saw it," Katrina said, vividly remembering the crowd in the Ravenclaw common room and how excited their chattering was. "I didn't get close enough to know it was Halloween, though."

"We'll be having the Hogsmeade trip and the Halloween Feast on the same day!" Alicia said, "Isn't that fantastic?"

"Sounds exciting!" Cora began to smile widely. Katrina shrugged.

"I suppose."

"Is that it?" Ernie Macmillan asked, cocking a brow. The Gryffindor girls each shot him identical looks of exasperation and sudden dislike.

"No," Angelina crossed her arms across her chest, "We were going to ask Katrina and Cora if they'd like to join us on the trip. We all need a bit of girl time together, you know."

Alex's mouth nearly dropped to the ground.

"_Friends!_" he said loudly, "My sister's got _friends!_"

"Of course I've got friends!" Katrina snapped, "It's not like I'm antisocial, you prat!"

"I'm not a prat!" Alex retorted, but visibly pulled his legs in before he was kicked again.

Angelina exhaled swiftly, then faced Katrina and Cora with a much nicer look on her face.

"So, what do you say?" she asked.

"Why not?" Cora grinned, looking at Katrina. "Can we?"

"I don't see why we can't," Katrina shrugged, and found herself smiling. "So long as they don't mind me taking my time in Honeydukes."

Katie snorted. "Oh _please!_" she said, "Alicia practically spends _hours_ in there!"

Alicia blushed guiltily, but Katrina seemed to brighten up immediately.

"Have you seen their Wall of Chocolate? It's _huge!_"

"Oh dear," Cora laughed lightly, "Don't get her started on chocolate."

"Is that a yes?" Angelina's eyes sparkled as her tight grip around her chest loosened. Katrina vigorously nodded her head.

"Yes, yes!" she exclaimed, "I'm up for hours in Honeydukes any day!"

The girls all laughed, and eventually, the Gryffindors receded back to their own house table. Alex still looked abashed.

"_Friends!_" he whispered fiercely, leaning over and waving a hand in Katrina's face. "Are you _sure_ they haven't brainwashed you?"

"They might've," Katrina laughed lightly, "But if they did, I'm enjoying it."

Alex frowned, but eventually began devouring his lunch.

* * *

To Katrina, Hogsmeade didn't come soon enough.

Her homework was piling higher and higher each week, and even though Charms and History of Magic were easy enough, Transfiguration and Potions seemed to be draining the life out of her. McGonagall was expecting her fifth year classes to spit out two-foot essays every other day and Snape was being more of a nuisance than usual since Katrina was still sitting with the boys. Honestly, she was beginning to loose whatever dwindling patience she had with his awful attitude towards any house but Slytherin.

And to add to all of that, it seemed Trelawney had taken an uncanny liking to her and was insisting she visit during lunch periods. All Katrina did was look through a crystal ball a few times and listen to Trelawney ranting about the "displacement of Mars" this year, and by all the outrageous things she was spouting (one of the most crazy being about Harry Potter's death), Katrina was beginning to think she really was a loon.

Many of the older students of Hogwarts were talking loudly in the Entrance Hall, excited to get out of the school at last and buy things in Hogsmeade. Filch was muttering to himself by the doors, checking off names on a checklist and peering through the crowd as if he were begging somebody not allowed to try and get past him. He really was a dreadful man. Katrina grimaced as she passed him and he grunted, checking off her name on the checklist and pointing her out with his quill. Cora followed behind her, and they set off to find the girls.

Angelina, Alicia, and Katie were waiting for them just outside of the grounds. The three of them were waving excitedly as Cora and Katrina arrived, and quickly began to push them in the direction of Hogsmeade.

If Katrina hadn't already visited it multiple times before, she would have been astounded by just how beautiful Hogsmeade was. It was filled with cottages and roads that split into wild directions and was surrounded by a view of mountains no matter where you looked.

"Where do you suppose we go first?" Angelina asked as they passed Dervish & Banges.

"Honeydukes?" Katrina answered, failing miserably at hiding her excitement. The rest of the girls cracked wide smiles, and Angelina nodded.

"It'll probably take us the longest, and we'd best not wait for it to get crowded."

Mentally, Katrina began to jump around like a wild eight-year-old. She did, however, keep her composure as their group of five entered the colorful sweetshop.

They immediately dispersed. Katrina and Cora headed to the Wall of Chocolate where, obviously, there were mounds upon mounds of chocolate goodies. Chocolate Wands, Chocolate Frogs, Chocolate Skeletons, Choco-Loco, chocolate fudge, Chocoballs, Charm Choc, Chocolate Cauldrons, Wizochoc — Cora could have probably sworn Katrina was going to melt at the sight. As quickly as she could, Katrina picked out nearly one of everything on the wall and rushed to the counter, where she payed a good 3 galleons for it and came rushing back with two rather full-looking bags and her hair flaring lime-green.

"Is that all?" Cora laughed as Katrina quickly shook her head.

"No! I need more Sugar Quills, and with luck they'll still have a few Deluxe packages left! I also need a good lot of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans and you know how much I love Peppermint Toads!"

Cora laughed again, not replying this time. As serious as Katrina could be, she went utterly wild when sweets were involved.

It was a good half-hour before Katrina and Cora met up again with the girls. Alicia was carrying nearly as many bags as Katrina was, which seemed to be quite comedic as the rest of their group laughed because of it.

"Do you mind if we go to Tomes and Scrolls next?" Katrina asked as they exited the crowded Honeydukes and into the slightly-less-crowded street.

"This is what we get for bringing along a Ravenclaw," Alicia muttered lightheartedly, and Katrina feigned a pout.

"I actually need a new copy of _The Wonders of Wigtown Wanderers,_" Katie mused, tapping a finger on her chin and sending a wink Katrina's way. "I think I left my old one in the Library and that old Pince took it. Tell you what," she turned to Alicia and Angelina, "Why don't you two go to Spintwitches? I'll buy my book and have Cora and Katrina meet you there."

"Sounds good to me," Angelina nodded, looking to Alicia who seemed relieved to not walk into a shop full of books (something Katrina found utterly bewildering, but said nothing about). "Meet you at Spintwitches?"

"Meet you at Spintwitches!" Katie grinned, then took Cora and Katrina's hands as they parted ways with Angelina and Alicia.

"I've never gone into Spintwitches before," Katrina said as they neared Tomes and Scrolls. "What's it like? Doesn't it sell Quidditch stuff?"

"Oh, yes!" Katie exclaimed, "It's wonderful — had a _ton_ of these really nice Chaser gloves. I nearly bought a pair last year, but they were really expensive." She sighed as the three of them shuffled into the bookstore, which was nearly deserted compared to Honeydukes. "Anyways, I'll be getting my book if you need me. Take as long as you want, Angelina's bound to stay in Spintwitches for an hour or more." After a playful roll of her eyes, Katie disappeared between a row of books.

Katrina suddenly seemed to begin to swell. So many rows, so many books! In a flurry of exhilaration, she bounded forward and down a random row, glancing between the titles of every book spine and searching for anything interesting. _Charm Your Own Cheese _— no — _Enchantment in Baking_ — no — the more she looked on, the more books she found about baking and cooking and chores in general. There was even a few copies of an old Gilderoy Lockhart book, which she openly scowled at. Ruddy old teacher, too arrogant for his own robes. How she ever used to like him she would never know.

Turning down another row, she found things much more intriguing. A whole bookshelf filled with books upon books of Divination. Although she may not be quite as fond of the teacher, Katrina had become an avid fan of "Seeing". Quickly, she plucked _Predicting the Unpredictable: Insulate Yourself Against Shocks_ off the shelf and into her heavy hands, then turned another corner.

It wasn't until she was down the fourth row did Katrina find another batch of interest. Magical Creatures. Skimming for a bit, she pulled out _Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland_ and plopped it on top of her other book, and then _The Handbook of Hippogriff Psychology, _soon followed by _Hairy Snout, Human Heart_.

The next row was, again, interesting. It was filled with books about Charms and Spells. From there, she got _Extreme Incantations_.

By the time Katrina met Cora again at the counter, she had added _Theories of Transubstantial Transfiguration_ and a slightly-battered copy of _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_ to her tall pile. Cora had only gotten _Little People, Big Plans_ and seemed rather proud of herself.

"It was the last copy left," she whispered as she passed the bookkeeper a handful of Sickles and Knuts.

"Bloody hell!" Katie exclaimed as the two of them exited the shop, where she was waiting patiently. Katrina had a good two extra bags filled with her new books. "Did you get enough, Katrina?"

"There's never enough to read," she said wisely, sticking her chin into the air as the girls laughed. She couldn't suppress a giggle.

"Well, we ought to get to Spintwitches now. Alicia might have done something stupid and blown off all her galleons before we've even thought about the Three Broomsticks." Katie chuckled and led them toward Spintwitches. Just then, however, Cora swiftly slapped a hand over her face and cursed.

"What—" Katrina began, but was swiftly cut off.

"I completely forgot! I promised my mum I'd send her a patch of Pepper Imps from Honeydukes! I've got to rush back — I'll meet you at Spintwitches!" And with that, she ran off.

"Well then," Katie mumbled after a brief silence, "She's rather rambunctious, isn't she?"

Katrina snorted. "Yeah, something like that."

The two of them then shrugged to themselves and headed to the sports shop, which was filled with Hogwarts students like most of the other stores.

"There you are!" Alicia said as she pushed her way between Cedric Diggory and Roger Davies (who both seemed a bit disgruntled). "Katie, they've got _customized Quaffles!_ They're nearly as much as a gold cauldron, but Merlin are they wonderful! You really must see — blimey," she suddenly stopped from her rapid ranting as she gazed at Katrina, "Done enough shopping, have you?"

"Not nearly," Katrina grinned, and the girls laughed.

"Come on then! _Customized Quaffles, Katie!_" Alicia began to shove them near the back of the shop, where Angelina was flipping through a book about Broomsticks.

Katrina, however, became much more interested in a bookshelf not too far away. Glancing at the girls (who seemed completely engrossed), she slowly approached the bookshelf and began to skim through the labels. A minute later, she pulled out a book called _You & Your Owl _— something she had actually been meaning to buy since she bought Alphonse, her Great Grey, the summer before Fourth Year.

"Not another book!"

At Cora's voice, Katrina jumped and swiveled around, almost guilty. Within a moment's notice, her surprised expression became that of bashfulness and her hair flashed from lime to lavender.

"Well, I've — I've been wanting this one. . . ."

Cora only laughed. "I'm beginning to wonder where you get all your galleons from!"

"Well, my dad _is_ an Auror," Katrina smiled a sheepish, lopsided smile that only made Cora laugh more.

"Did you get the Pepper Imps?" she asked suddenly, and Cora nodded, holding up a small bag.

"Yeah, Mum'll be pleased." She began to slowly smile and continued, "But you wouldn't believe what I saw."

"And what was that?" Katrina raised a single brow and began to smirk.

"Fred, George, and Lee!" Cora whispered, leaning in so nobody else could hear, "Walked right past me without saying a word! Bloody twits, they are," she looked a trifle angry for a moment, but then excited again. "But they seemed really excited. I think they had just come from Zonko's, they had a bunch of bags in their hands — but they walked right through to the back room! You know, the one where they keep all the extra merchandise and things? Right into it!"

Katrina rose a weighted hand to her mouth. "You don't think they're _stealing,_ do you?"

"No," Cora replied quickly, "I don't think they'd steal. If they were buying from Zonko's, they'd be buying from Honeydukes. But what really got to me was that they didn't come out! I was in there for a good fifteen minutes, I'm sure, and they didn't once step out of the cellar!"

"That's odd," Katrina knitted her eyebrows with a frown, "Maybe they know the shopkeepers? I think you're right, they're not really the type to steal anyways, not unless it's from somebody like Filch." She snorted and rolled her eyes, "Honestly, _I'd_ probably steal from him if I had the chance."

"Me too," Cora laughed, shaking her head. "I think I might ask them about it, though, after tonight. Surely they'd tell us?"

"I dunno, actually. . ." Katrina sighed, "It's not like they told us how they know the castle so well."

"Well," Cora reasoned, "They have been in Hogwarts for a good five years. I'm sure they were clueless First Year, like most of use were. But when you're like the twins, you're bound to go exploring, aren't you? They've probably just memorized it all along the way."

"I suppose," Katrina shuffled uncomfortably, "But then why were they rambling on about promising to stay 'up to no good'?"

Cora frowned. "I've no idea."

"Oi!" Angelina called from the counter, where she was holding a pair of nice-looking gloves and shoving them into a bag, "We're leaving, you two! To the Three Broomsticks!"

"Coming!" Cora and Katrina yelled back, and Katrina hurried to the counter to buy the book. She fumbled quickly for another galleon and a few sickles, put them on the counter, and shoved the book into a new bag after the shopkeeper nodded and took her money.

The Three Broomsticks was possibly more packed than Honeydukes — the only difference was the amount of older customers. In the corner, Katrina could've sworn she saw a Hag. However, as Madam Rosmerta came her way, any curiosity about the people around her vanished.

Rosmerta was quite a pretty lady, there was no denying it. As she came by Katrina, Cora, Angelina, Katie, and Alicia's table, she smiled widely and began to take their order.

"Five Butterbeers!" Cora chimed excitedly, and Madam Rosmerta nodded and scribbled something onto her little notepad.

"Is that all?" she asked, and the girls looked between themselves. After a moment, they nodded their heads in unison, making Madam Rosmerta smile. "I'll be back in a moment!"

Katrina sighed airily as Rosmerta left, her bright heels clacking loudly on the floor. Cora laughed lightly, poking her in the side and causing her to jump.

"What?" she asked shrilly, blushing again.

"Stop staring at her, it's weird!" Cora giggled, poking her again. Katrina's blush deepened.

"I was _not_ staring," Katrina puffed out her chest a bit, "I was admiring her skirt. I have a thing for skirts, you know that —"

"Yes, but you've always liked Madam Rosmerta," Cora sang lightly as Katie, Angelina, and Alicia snickered.

"Well — well — she's nice!" Katrina defended, "And even you can't say she doesn't look nice!"

"She is really pretty," Cora agreed, and the other girls nodded their heads.

"If I looked like her," Alicia said, "I'd be set for life! She's got all the boys drooling, hasn't she?"

The girls all laughed to themselves as Madam Rosmerta returned, handing them all a foaming tankard of Butterbeer.

"I'd hate to see Lee around her," Angelina snorted as Rosmerta clacked away, "I can imagine him now, sputtering nonsense around her."

"Fred and George would probably say 'Butterboobs' before 'Butterbeer'," Katrina nodded, and Katie and Alicia, who had been taking generous gulps of their drinks, swiftly began to choke. Angelina and Cora had started bursting at the seams with laughter, so much they were holding the stitches in their sides, and as soon as Katie and Alicia could, they joined in. Katrina felt herself blush again as she smiled lopsidedly. She honestly didn't expect them to enjoy her joke so much.

"_Butter_ — _Butterboobs!_" Alicia was croaking to herself between deep, hitched laughs, "Oh — oh my _god_ — Katrina — you're a — genius! — _Butterboobs!_"

Katie, Angelina, and Cora were all acting in the same way, clutching onto whatever they could get a hold of for support.

Katrina was shuffling in her seat. "Not really," she mumbled, "It was just a joke. . . ."

"And a bloody good one, at that!" Angelina yelped, wiping a tear from her eye and calming herself to mere chuckles with the rest of them.

"_Butterboobs!_" Alicia whispered to herself, giggling madly.

Leaving the Three Broomsticks led to another fit of giggles, as Katrina nearly tripped stepping through the door. All of her bags where weighing her down considerably, and her arms were beginning to ache.

"What about Wiseacre's next?" Katie asked after her giggling subsided.

"Sounds good to me," Angelina smiled widely, and Alicia nodded. Katrina however, sighed.

"Actually, I think I'm gonna go back to the castle," she heftily adjusted her many bags, "My arms are getting tired."

"I really ought to owl my Mum, too," Cora agreed. Something about the way she said it made Katrina know she was only finding an excuse to accompany her (besides the fact that Hogsmeade had its own post office), and she shot her a grateful glance. She hated walking alone.

"Alright," Angelina nodded understandingly, "We'll see you back at Hogwarts, then?"

"You bet!" Cora grinned, and they parted ways again.

Walking back to the school was much more troublesome than both Katrina and Cora had anticipated. Cora had also bought a good load of things and it was quite apparent that the two of them were incredibly tired by the time they reached school grounds.

Relief washed over Katrina like a tidal wave. All she had to do now was get up the spiral staircase of Ravenclaw Tower (which was tiring enough) and put her things down, then she was free to take a nap and —

But something caught her eye. Or some_things_, rather. Shoving her elbow into Cora's arm, who exclaimed loudly, she pointed at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, where three boys — one with dark skin and the others with flaming hair — where looking around wildly before slipping between the trees.

She and Cora both stiffened. Sharing a quick stare between them, they took sharp intakes of breath before rapidly sprinting to the area where Fred, George, and Lee had disappeared.

It was quiet and dark. In the distance, they could just see the back of one of the twins' heads before It ducked behind a tree. Without another thought, Katrina and Cora bolted forward, hardly realizing their bags were swinging wildly on their arms.

"_What are they doing?_" Katrina gasped in outrage, and Cora only shook her head as the Ravenclaw's hair burned bright white. "They could get _killed!_ We could get killed! I swear to God if they — if they —"

But she didn't finish. The boys had stopped. Ahead, Katrina could just barely see the fence of a paddock, and she felt herself slowing. They were only hardly in the forest, so danger was surely not much to worry about — but she was still angry.

"_What_ are you doing?" she screeched, and the boys all jumped and faced her with identical looks of terror etched on their faces.

"Katrina!" they all yelped in surprise, looking behind them and then back at her.

"We were just —" Fred began.

"We wanted to —" George continued.

"It's not anything dangerous —"

"Well, maybe a bit —" George raised his fingers in a pinching motion.

"But not really!"

"_What_ are you doing?" Katrina asked again, stomping over and dropping her bags onto the ground as gently as she could in her anger.

The boys were silent.

"We were — we heard —" Lee started.

"Spit it out."

Lee gulped. "We heard Hagrid still had the hippogriffs tied up somewhere back here. Gonna ship 'em out any day now, but we just — we just _had_ to see them, Katrina!"

"Hippogriffs!" Katrina screeched, "_Hippogriffs!_ He doesn't _have_ any bloody hippogriffs, you dolts! All those third years were spreading rumors is all!"

"Ron wouldn't lie about hippogriffs!" George shouted back, "He was at the lesson!"

Katrina sniffed stubbornly, but clenched her jaw and shut her mouth. Fred was looking nearly as mad as she was.

"I'm going to go and find them," he said, looping his bag on one of the fence posts and marching off, followed by George. Lee kicked a pebble, looking down at the ground, and slowly, Cora walked up to join him.

Eventually, Katrina followed in suit. She picked up her bags and walked forward, setting them down again at the fence and leaning on it with an unamused face.

"You're a bunch of bloody idiots," she mumbled to Lee, and to her surprise, he only laughed.

"D'you think we don't know that?" he asked, and to further surprise Katrina, she laughed, too. After a sigh, she dropped her head and stared at the ground. Hopefully, the twins would come back empty-handed.

But her spirits dropped to an ultimate low as noises hit her ears. Chains jangling, rough, rhythmic thuds — her stomach fell to her feet as she raised her eyes and looked up to see Fred and George and four ginormous beasts.

As they grinned smugly to themselves and opened the gate to the paddock, leading the hippogriffs in, Katrina got a better look of them. They looked like giant eagles, or some sort of bird, at first glance — their front feet were long and taloned and the whole of their face, neck, chest, and shoulder were covered in feathers. Their wings were the largest she had ever seen, and after them were the hindquarters of horses. Sighing, she rubbed her face with her hand. Here she was, in the Forbidden Forest with the twins and Lee and the hippogriffs that had nearly gotten Hagrid fired on the first day of school.

"Wow," Cora breathed from beside her, and Katrina didn't have to look at her to know that she was smiling in amazement. Cora had always had a thing for animals.

Katrina frowned as the twins came up, still looking smug. "Told you," they said, and she buried her face in her hands.

"I'm going to suffocate you all in your sleep," she muttered into her palms, and she could hear the twins slapping hands in front of her in triumph.

"Anyways," Lee said as he jumped the fence, "We were wanting to touch them, at least. But we're not stupid, so we know we can't just — you know — pet them."

"No, of course you can't," Cora said, shaking her head. "Hippogriffs are really proud. If I remember right, you have to let them judge you, or something along the lines of that."

Katrina grumbled and, against the thoughts in her head telling her not to, leaned down and picked up _The Handbook of Hippogriff Psychology_. The others looked at her in interest as she flipped through the chapters until falling on a page labeled "HOW TO APPROACH A HIPPOGRIFF".

"This says," she muttered, "that you have to keep eye contact and bow. Then you have to wait for it to bow, and when it does, you're free to touch it. But if it doesn't," she looked up at the boys, whose grins may have faltered just the slightest, "you need to get out of reach."

"Sounds easy enough," Fred clapped his hands together, rubbing them as he walked up to the four hippogriffs and made to take off the strawberry roan's leather collar.

"Wait!" Katrina began, but Cora quickly stopped her from continuing.

"Ease up, Katrina," she said as she climbed over the fence to join George and Lee, "They're perfectly safe, so long as you don't disrespect them!"

"Yeah!" George and Lee chimed, and Katrina frowned. Slowly, though, she slipped a leg over the fence and walked over to stand by them.

Remarkably, Fred had slipped off the hippogriff's collar without it snapping and biting his arm off.

"I give you," he announced, motioning towards the strawberry roan with his hands, "Redrump!"

"Redrump?" Lee laughed as the hippogriff snorted, "Was that all you could think of?"

"Better that Butterboobs," Cora whispered to Katrina, and she found herself choking on air. Disguising it as a cough, she shot Cora a glare, which only resulted in her giggling.

"Well, it's much better than Cherryarse, isn't it?" Fred asked, and Redrump squawked indignantly. With a roll of his eyes and an exasperated motion that said "Easy, easy!", he approached Katrina.

"So, why don't we have little Miss Know-it-all show us how it's done?" he smirked, and Katrina felt her blue hair burn violet. She had begun to stop noticing when it was changing, and the thought suddenly made her worrisome — more than before, at least.

"What?" she croaked, looking behind Fred and at the huge animal. "M-me? But — but I'm horrible with animals!"

"Rubbish," she said as he shoved her in Redrump's direction, "It's just a bow! Now get on with it, George and I want a go!"

She took a gulp and looked up at the hippogriff.

Redrump looked curious, for a brutal, humongous, magical beast. Curious, yet pompous. Very pompous. Katrina's first thought when she looked him in the eye was of Percy Weasley, and she nearly scowled. However, she kept her face in a straight line, and slowly bowed, never looking away from his eyes.

He tilted his head for a moment, and she could've sworn his eyes narrowed. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart began to beat wildly at her ribs. And then, he leaned forward, and bowed.

Relief was becoming more and more of a familiar feeling to Katrina as the day rolled on. Sighing, she rose, as did Redrump, and approached him cautiously. Holding out her hand, she gently touched the feathers that met the edge of his beak, and might have smiled just a bit as the great hippogriff leaned into her touch.

Fred, George, Lee, and Cora all whooped enthusiastically behind her. Gaining some miraculous confidence, Katrina raised her hand and scratched the middle of Redrump's feathered head, which he also leaned into.

"You're not so bad," she mumbled, and felt her scalp prickling just a bit to tell her that her hair had returned to normal. Redrump shook his head with a light snort, as if saying that he could be quite as bad as he wanted to be.

"Alright!" George chimed, "Our turn!"

"Get your own hippogriff!" Katrina shouted over her shoulder with a grin, and they did just that. Untethering the others, the four of them spread out a bit and chose a hippogriff. Lee and Katrina were with the relaxed chestnut, George with the more-than-prideful black, and Fred with the playful palomino. To all their luck, they bowed one after another, and soon enough they were each patting and scratching a hippogriff.

"I'll call this one Bronzefeather," Cora said, patting the chestnut on the neck as he made a soft squawking sound.

"Mine'll be Darkness the Great and Powerful!" George roared, and the black hippogriff reared in approval. "Darky for short." Darky, suddenly disapproving, landed on his feet again and shot George a glare.

"And what about yours, Fred?" Katrina called. By the looks of it, he had gotten the female of the group. Fred shrugged.

"Goldy?"

"_Goldy?_" Katrina laughed. Fred raised his hands in exasperation.

"What? Can't I go for something simple?"

"No! We've got Redrump, and that's simple enough!" Redrump seemed to nod in agreement. It was odd, how smart the animals were.

"Fine then!" Fred faced the palomino, determined and thoughtful. "Copperclaw?"

"You've got a thing for alliteration," Katrina said mostly to herself, and Fred looked at her over his shoulder.

"Alliter-what?"

"Nothing," she dismissed it with a wave of her hand. "I like Copperclaw. We'll keep it."

Fred faced his hippogriff with a smirk and scratched its beak. "Copperclaw it is!"

And the hippogriff gave his hand a playful nip in approval.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER SEVEN**

* * *

_Hello all! I've got a nice, long chapter for you uwu_

_I was a little on edge about putting in the hippogriffs. Didn't know how you all would like it, y'know. Stuff like that. But I put it in anyways because we needed a little mischief o; I'm sure most of you will agree.  
_

_Happy Apocalypse, by the way!  
_

_You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you? c;  
_


	8. THE FEISTY FOWL

It was nearly time for the Halloween Feast when Katrina, Cora, the twins, and Lee all left the Forbidden Forest. Each of them had begrudgingly slipped the collars back onto their hippogriff and Fred and George led them back to the spot they had found them, which was a small clearing just a little ways away from the paddock. Redrump seemed especially dismayed when Katrina stopped patting his beak and began to walk away, so she had ruefully promised that she would visit again sometime. How she was ever going to pull such a stunt, she had no idea.

"Do you think they'll be okay?" she asked as they jogged behind a group of third years returning from Hogsmeade.

"Well, they've been in the forest for a good two months now, haven't they?" Lee asked, and Katrina shook her head.

"You said they were going to be shipped out soon. . . ."

"Well, if you're really that worried," George said, "we can always go and ask Hagrid where he's sending them off to."

"But then he'll know we went into the Forbidden Forest!" Katrina protested. The boys scoffed and waved their arms dismissively.

"He practically _expects_ us to go wandering in the forest, Katrina," Fred said offhandedly, "We've only stepped foot in it about a thousand times, and more than once has he caught us."

"But this time there were dangerous animals with us, Fred!"

"They weren't so dangerous," Cora interrupted, "They'd only hurt you if they saw you as a threat, like any animal."

Katrina frowned. "Then I suppose werewolves see everyone as a threat, hm?"

Cora shot Katrina such a withering look that she nearly stepped away from her.

"Sorry, sorry, I'll shut up!"

"Werewolves are people. Demented people, yes, but they're human. They're in incredible pain, I think, and how would you feel if your brain was overrun with animal instincts? I'd probably lash out at anything nearby, too.

"Aren't you the one who bought that werewolf book today, anyways?" Cora glanced at one of the many bags on Katrina's arms. "_Hairy Heart, Human Snout_ or something like that. You must think that werewolves are as human as us."

"Well, yes," Katrina shuffled, embarrassed, as the gazes of all four of her friends rested on her. "It's not like they could help being bitten or bred or however werewolves are made. Same goes for anyone, really."

Cora nodded, apparently satisfied, and the boys shared a look of confusion. Katrina rolled her eyes.

"You three are such _dolts!_" she nearly laughed as they each shared a face of disagreement. "But never mind that," Katrina sighed, "I've got to somehow carry all of this to my dormitory!" She began to wave her arms around wildly, swinging bags left and right. Fred, George, Lee, and Cora began to laugh and Katrina nearly swung herself over, but stifled themselves to quiet chuckles and giggles as she straightened up again.

"You're lucky, Cora," Lee said as he shuffled his multiple bags around in his arms, "You've only a short way to go! The Hufflepuff common room is near the kitchens, right?"

"Oh yes!" Cora began to beam, "Right beside it! You can imagine how amazing it smells early in the morning!"

Katrina groaned. "I've got to go all the way up Ravenclaw Tower. . . ."

"Yeah, well we're on the seventh floor corridor," Lee countered. "That's up all the bloody Grand Staircase!"

"Yes, well, just so you know, Ravenclaw Tower is made up of a single, tall spiral staircase. It's nearly as tall as the one that leads to Divination!" Katrina said with a mixture of pride and sorrow. Her friends shuddered in unison, and she nodded. "Yeah, it's a bloody mess when you've a load like this." Again, she raised her arms (this time, maybe just a bit stiffly).

"Is that it, though?" George asked thoughtfully. "There must be a common room up there somewhere."

"Of course there's a common room!" Katrina snapped, "There's this door at the top landing, you see. It doesn't have a knob or anything —"

"Then how do you get in?" Fred asked frantically. Katrina rolled her eyes.

"If you would let me _finish,_ you dolt!" Fred shut his mouth, and Katrina nodded. "But yes, that's what _you_ or any other ruddy Gryffindor would think. You're probably brash enough to not even notice the knocker."

"The knocker?" the twins and Lee asked, and Katrina sighed again. Cora was listening quietly and intently by her side.

"Yes, the knocker. It's a bronze eagle. See, what you do is go up to it, and it will ask you a question, should you think to listen to it. If you answer the riddle right, then you're allowed to enter, along with anybody else with you."

"But what if you get it wrong?" Lee asked, and Katrina snorted.

"Then you'll have a time trying to break down the door, won't you? You've got to wait until somebody gets the answer right, otherwise you'd best prepare yourself for a night on the stairs."

"Does it just let anybody in, then?" Cora asked curiously, and Katrina seemed to scrunch up her face in thought.

"Well, not anybody. Just somebody who can answer the question and whoever is with them. I suppose the knocker doesn't mind houses at all, really, and I think that would make sense. Rowena Ravenclaw, the founder of Ravenclaw House, put wisdom before anything; If they were witty enough, I think she would have accepted them with open arms."

"Even a Slytherin?" Fred sneered, followed by George and Lee. Even Cora frowned.

"Afraid so. I remember one night during first year when Professor McGonagall and Snape came in with some Slytherin girl to fetch a Prefect. Snape was the one who answered the question, we could hear from inside."

"What's it like?" Cora asked, staring up at the darkening sky with wonder twinkling through her eyes. "The Hufflepuff common room is wonderful. It's in the basements, so all the windows are really high up and the rest of it is underground. There are tons of plants and torches and this one, really big fireplace in the middle of it all under a portrait of Helga Hufflepuff. She's really quite nice."

Katrina laughed airily, looking over Hogwarts until her eyes landed on the tall, round Ravenclaw Tower. "Oh, I love my common room. It's at the very top of the tower, you know, where all those windows are? The common room is surrounded by them, and we have magnificent views over everywhere. There's all these curtains and cloths hanging from the ceiling, too, colored blue and bronze and silver. The ceiling is incredibly tall and rounded and it's painted like the night sky. Sometimes I swear it's enchanted, it's like the stars are winking at you." Sighing happily, she continued, "All of our furniture is really luxurious, not like the ones in the Gryffindor common room. They're like something from Greece, all long and low to the ground and eccentric like that. And in the far back, where there's the stairs that lead to the dormitories, we have a life-sized statue of Rowena Ravenclaw wearing her diadem."

"You've been in the Gryffindor common room?" Cora asked abruptly, and Katrina and the boys nearly jumped.

"Well —" Fred and George began, and suddenly Cora had turned to them with a fierce fire blazing in her eyes.

"Common rooms are supposed to be secret!" she said, and the twins nervously began to slide their hands through their hair as Lee coughed in embarrassment. "Why would you break tradition like that?"

"They wanted me to help them with an essay," Katrina mumbled, looking down at her feet as they began to walk through the long, rickety old bridge that led to the Entrance Hall. "We were actually awake most of the night —"

"Till eleven," Fred scoffed, "Katrina can hardly blink half pas ten."

"Shut up," Katrina retorted, shuffling her bags again. Cora began to look a bit less fired-up at this point and much more curious. "Anyways, I — uhm — sort of fell asleep. The boys _said_ they were gonna wake me up, but they didn't, and we ended up nearly late for breakfast."

"And the Prefects didn't do anything?" Katrina shook her head.

"No, not even Percy. It was because I was helping them with schoolwork, I suspect."

"Odd," Cora mused, looking over the twins and Lee with a much softer look on her face. Though, oddly enough, she seemed nearly excited as she cracked a grin. "You ought to show me sometime, then. There's no use in worrying about tradition now, if you've already broken it. Maybe I can sneak you all into the Hufflepuff common room some night?"

Katrina and the boys began to laugh a bit. "Coraline Calloway, you will forever be a mystery to me!" Katrina chuckled, and Cora lightly pushed her shoulder.

"And you! You really must show us the Ravenclaw common room, the way you described it made it sound really _royal!_"

"That's because it _is_ royal, Cora," Katrina laughed again, and Lee rolled his eyes.

"Sounds like a bore to me," he yawned for affect. "All clean and pristine and whatnot. Our common room is much more relaxed and home-y, I think. Nice and warm and fiery."

"Just the way you like it, I suppose?" Katrina said, and Cora began to giggle.

"Definitely," the boys replied, and the girls began to laugh for no real reason at all.

* * *

"_What is happening?_"

Katrina gripped Cora's arm tightly as she, other Ravenclaws, the Hufflepuffs, and the Slytherins all poured into the Great Hall.

"I don't know," Cora replied in a shaky tone, "Professor Sprout didn't say much, only that we were to go to spend the night in the Great Hall with the rest of the school. Professor Flitwick didn't say anything either?"

"No," Katrina breathed, scanning wildly over the many chattering heads. A ways away, she could just see the twins' blazing hair over everyone else, surely accompanied by Lee. "He only muttered something about the Fat Lady, and she's the one who guards the Gryffindor common room."

"Maybe Lee and the twins will know something? Or Katie, Angelina, and Alicia?" Cora asked and Katrina nodded, stiffly pulling her in the boys' direction.

The entire Gryffindor Quidditch team, besides Harry, was huddled together whispering with Lee.

"Cora!" Katie began, swiftly pulling Cora and Katrina into their little group. "Katrina!"

"What's happened?" Cora asked swiftly as a tall, broad boy Katrina decided must have been the Gryffindor Keeper gave them both questioning (yet somewhat terrified) looks.

"_He's here!_" Katie whispered harshly, and Cora seemed to wince as Katrina's grip tightened considerably on her arm.

"_Who's_ here, Katie?" Katrina asked in a dangerously low voice, and it was then that she noticed how white all the Gryffindors were. "I-it's not —"

But she was cut off. The doors closed loudly at the front of the hall, and all the students turned and faced Professor Dumbledore.

"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," he said gravely, "I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want all prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance is to be reported to me immediately," he turned and faced either the Head Boy or Girl — Katrina wasn't sure, as she was staring off into the distance. "Send word with one of the ghosts."

She was sure Cora's fingers were numb by the time Dumbledore turned to exit the hall. Her hand was clenched to tightly to Cora's arm that her knuckles were white.

"Oh, yes," Dumbledore turned just as he was about to leave, "you'll be needing. . ."

He waved his wand casually, and the house tables shot into the air and stood up against the walls. Another wave, and in their places were a thousand squishy purple sleeping bags.

"Sleep well," Professor Dumbledore said, and slipped between the doors of the Great Hall, shutting them with a quiet bang behind him.

Instantly, the hall was filled with loud, rapid chattering again. Katrina faced the Gryffindors again, who were looking graver than before. The tall boy swallowed, and the girls looked between themselves fearfully. Even the twins and Lee had awfully worried frowns.

"Who is it?" Katrina asked stiffly, "Who's broken into the castle?"

Lee gulped, and Fred and George looked at her with the oddest expressions she had ever seen them wear. She released Cora's arm, shaking her head.

"No," she croaked, and the boys nodded their heads slowly, looking down at the floor. Katrina raised her hands to her mouth, shaking her head quickly. "No, _no,_ he _can't_ have —"

"Peeves said it himself," Fred choked, and Katrina covered her eyes. She began to feel herself shake and Cora numbly place a hand on her shoulder.

"No, no, he's lying, he has to be," Katrina shook her head again, and Cora's hand roamed to her back.

There was a fear building up inside Katrina that she couldn't explain. A hand was curling through her scalp, tearing it into a million burning pieces as it flew to grip her insides and tied them in a huge knot, then pulled them down forcefully to her toes. Against the gravity of it all, her heart had jumped into her throat, and she desperately fought her instinct to sob.

Sirius Black had invaded Hogwarts.

She hated the man. She hated him so much she could hardly stand to think of him. Katrina could remember in great detail the day he had broken out, because her father had gotten severely angry — something that only happened once or twice in a century. He had looked stricken, extremely beaten and battered, and it was like shadows had formed under his eyes. The color had drained from his body, even his hair, and it was in that moment that Katrina had realized how dreadful Black was. Her father had began muttering himself, pacing back and forth and speaking of things like "Orders" and "Friends" and the names of different people. Katrina's mother had gotten concerned, of course, and had tried to help calm him down, but her nearly yelled at her. He did apologize directly after, but had run out of the house to "blow off some steam" and didn't return until well past midnight. Katrina would know, because she had stayed up until dawn reading the _Daily Prophet_'s story all about him. Sirius Black was a horrible man.

There was a sudden, unwelcome warmth wrapping around her. Katrina didn't like it, she didn't want it, and she nearly pushed it away until she realized that it was George. She relaxed, but continued to shake and choke to herself. George released her, patting her on the shoulder a bit before turning to Cora, who was probably just as scared as she was. Just as Katrina was about to remove her hands from her face, she felt another pair of arms take her by the torso and squeeze her into an embrace. Before she could think, Katrina shoved her hands around Fred's neck and openly sobbed. He became rigid and tightened his grip before eventually easing himself out, thumping her warmly on the back.

"Of course she'd hug you back," George said roughly, and Katrina found herself laughing amongst her weeping.

"Well she does fancy me, mate," Fred croaked back, and their whole group began to laugh quietly.

"I hate you," Katrina muttered against his shoulder and felt him squeeze her jokingly around the middle.

"No you don't, love," he said, sounding much more like his usual self, "Otherwise you'd have hexed me now. Clearly, you love me deeply and unequivocally."

Katrina choked out another sob and said, "I never knew such a bloody imbecile knew a word so long!"

As the others laughed quietly among themselves, Percy began to bellow loudly over every student's head.

"Everyone into their sleeping bags!" he shouted, "Come on, now, no more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!"

"He honestly expects us to keep quiet when there's a ruddy murderer loose in the school?" Lee murmured to the rest of the Quidditch team and Cora, who had begun to mutter. Fred was bouncing Katrina lightly on the balls of his feet, looking over his shoulder at them all with a frown. She was, somehow, finding herself calming at the simple motion.

"Percy's a prat, what do you think he's going to say? 'Everything's going to be alright, I completely understand what you're going through'?" Fred asked, and George groaned from beside Cora.

"More like 'I'm the most important one so I've got control over all of you! Now get to bed so I can snog my girlfriend without all of you noticing.' " the rest of the group nodded in agreement, but shuffled away to grab a sleeping bag each.

"Come on, love," Fred whispered, releasing Katrina, who sniffed and wiped her eyes fervently. "We'd best settle down before Bighead over there decides to breathe in our general direction." He nodded at Percy and Katrina croaked out another laugh.

"Yes, I think that's best."

He laughed a little, walking over to George and Lee, who were still conversing quietly as the pulled their bags up to their knees. Katrina quickly shot her arm out and grabbed Fred's sleeve without much thought, but to her relief, he didn't seem to mind as he lightly pulled her along.

"You've got quite a catch, brother of mine," George chimed as they walked over, and Fred moved to loop his arm over Katrina's shoulder.

"Isn't she? I like to call her the 'Feisty Fowl'. Fits, doesn't it, love?" Katrina chuckled and shoved him away before leaning down and pulling one of the squashy purple bags up to her chest.

"What was it you called me at Diagon Alley?" she asked, noticing her voice failing to quiver like it had before. "A Harpy, wasn't it?"

"Something like that," George grinned as Lee chortled beside him, "But I think Freddie here thought you more of a Veela."

"Oh really?" Katrina laughed again as Fred may have turned the slightest bit pink and slapped his brother on the arm. "I know I can certainly look like one, but I wasn't at the time." Absentmindedly, she began to pull her bag over to Cora, who was whispering in a corner with Alicia, Katie, Angelina, and the boy.

"What do you mean by that?" Lee asked as he jogged up beside her.

"Well, I'm a metamorphmagus, aren't I?" Katrina breathed airily, "I can look like whatever I want to. Granted, I wouldn't make boys drool like a Veela nor would I be able to sing or dance like one, but I could certainly mock their dashing good looks."

The boys went silent as they neared their group.

Suddenly, Fred spoke up again. "It was red, you know."

"What?" Katrina looked at him over her shoulder, knitting her eyebrows together in a curious and thoughtful stare.

"Your hair," he pointed at her head vaguely, "It had turned red. I think it meant you were scared."

"Oh," she took a thick strand from her shoulder, staring at its bright blue coloring, still thoughtful. Suddenly, she frowned. It had turned red again.

"Can't say I blame you," George muttered as he took a longer stride and leaned forward so as she was the only one who could hear him, "Black's terrifying, no matter who you are."

"Thanks," she whispered back, shooting him a small smile as they were greeted by Cora and the girls.

"This is Oliver Wood, by the way!" George said brightly, waltzing over and slapping Oliver on the shoulder. "Captain and Keeper of the Gryffindor Quidditch team! Oliver, this is —"

"Katrina Rhinehart," she brushed her hair back swiftly, "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Oliver nodded back, staring at her as if in deep thought. "Weird bit of hair you've got there, Katrina."

"What?" she asked, then shook her head. "Oh! Oh, yeah, sorry. It tends to change."

"Along with the rest of her," Fred commented as he splayed his sleeping bag beside George's. Katrina did the same, between Fred and Lee's bags.

"Ha ha," she laughed sarcastically, "Very funny joke, Fred. Best you could come up with out of the whole encyclopedia of metamorphmagus puns?"

"I don't fancy reading," he chuckled along with the rest of the group.

"A metamorphmagus, eh?" Oliver asked, cocking a brow. Katrina nodded. "Fascinating. I've never met one."

"I don't think you'd know if you did," Katrina shrugged, slipping off her shoes and kneeling onto the ground. Oliver shrugged.

"I suppose that's true."

"Why don't you show him some of your tricks, Katrina?" Cora asked quietly as Percy paced by, scowling. Katrina knew by her tone that she was trying to distract her from thinking about _that man,_ so she gave her a thankful glance as Lee, Fred, and George stifled their cheers of agreement.

"Tricks?" Angelina asked, and Katrina smiled as she and the rest of their group shimmied into their sleeping bags, looking at her expectantly.

"Give me an animal," Katrina whispered back, and the others turned either thoughtful or confused.

"What?"

"An animal, just think up one!"

"An owl?" Katie asked, and Katrina began to grin. Her face became scrunched for a moment, and suddenly, the girls and Oliver gasped. In place of Katrina's face was a large owl's head; Feathers, beak, and all.

"Fantastic!" Oliver said breathlessly, and Katrina chortled in soft hoots.

"A hippogriff!" Lee beamed, and Katrina's orb-like eyes seemed to flash. In the blink of an eye, her face had elongated and turned into more of a strawberry-roan eagle's.

"A fox!"

The feathers shortened to flaming, short fur and the beak elongated into a snout as ears shot up at the top of her head.

"Unicorn!"

Shorter her fur grew, until it blazed a snowy white. Her face grew longer and longer, and her triangular nose grew and began to dip. Katrina's ears shortened and from the middle of her head grew a long, spindly bone.

She had gone through many transformations by the time Percy came around again. He was whispering wildly at them all, scolding them for being so loud. When he came to Katrina, however, he had jumped back and placed a hand over his heart. For a brief millisecond, she had looked frighteningly like a troll. But as he blinked and stared at her again, there was Katrina Rhinehart's face and blue hair, normal as could be.

"Something wrong, Perce?" Fred asked as he nudged Katrina lightly with his shoulder, turning and giving her a wink. She forced herself not to grin.

"N-no," Percy spat defiantly, "J-just a trick of the light is all. . . ."

"What light?" George asked, "_Lights out,_ remember?"

Percy puffed out his chest in both importance and stubbornness. "You know what I meant!" he snapped, then continued on his merry way.

"That. Was. _Brilliant._" Fred snickered, nudging Katrina again with his shoulder with a wide, beaming smile. Katrina continued to fight her grin as she stared at the hard ground beneath her, mouth twitching upwards at each beat of her rapid heart.

"I didn't mean to," she whispered, "He just happened to walk by during the changing process between troll and hag is all."

Their group began to snicker besides Oliver, who had begun to snore loudly. Lee, George, Fred, Katie, Angelina, and Alicia all fought tremendous laughter at the sight of his drooling face, but Katrina and Cora found themselves looking at each other, equally tired.

"I think I'm going to sleep, guys," Cora yawned, stretching a bit and lying her head onto her squishy pillow.

"Already?" George asked, "But the morning is just getting started!"

Katrina groaned. "It's not that late already, is it?"

"Early, you mean," Fred corrected her matter-of-factually as he checked his watch, squinting in the darkness. "But yeah, it's nearly one in the morning now."

"I'm definitely going to sleep, then," Cora giggled, "Goodnight!"

"Goodnight, Cora," their group chorused in whispers, and Cora went silent almost immediately, snoring lightly to herself.

"Isn't she a fast sleeper," Lee commented, and the girls laughed quietly.

"I'd best get to sleep too," Katrina muttered, shuffling deeper into her sleeping bag with a sigh. In unison, the remainder of the group groaned.

"But you're all the fun, Katrina!" Katie said, and Katrina felt herself prominently begin to blush. Without looking at her hair, she knew it had turned violet.

"Er — thank you," she stammered out, looking down at her elbows, which were currently propping her up, "But I really must sleep —"

"Really," Fred nodded, "She's a right mess when she's half-awake. Fell asleep on my lap last time we kept her up late."

Katrina groaned again as the girls giggled.

"In his _lap,_ Katrina?" Angelina chuckled, and Katrina's scalp prickled uncomfortably. Oddly, though, she felt like she was going to laugh, too.

"Yeah," she played with her fingers absently, "I didn't mean to, though! I was aiming for the rest of the couch, but he was in my way."

"Stop lying to yourself, love," Fred sighed in a false dreamy tone, "It's no way to win a man's heart, you know."

"Shut up," Katrina laughed, nudging him in the shoulder this time. Fred turned onto his side, placing his hand over his chest dramatically.

"Katrina! Such language, and to your lover, no less!"

"Lover my arse," Katrina giggled, "You're more of a nuisance than anything!"

"_Flirting,_" Alicia whispered to Angelina and Katie, who nodded in girlish agreement.

"We are not!" Katrina laughed quietly as another prefect walked by, "_He's_ the one who's flirting, not me!"

"At least I'll admit to it," Fred grinned, slipping his hand into hers and bumping her shoulder again. Katrina's cheeks flared to a boiling heat and she was suddenly very glad it was so dark.

"_Ooh,_" the girls chorused, eying them both with undisguised interest. George and Lee groaned obnoxiously from either side of Fred and Katrina.

"I'm going to vomit," George grunted, heaving himself over in an act of dramatics. The girls groaned this time, but in a more lighthearted way.

"Oh, come off it, George! It's not daily that we get to see the first beginnings of true _love!_" Katie squealed dramatically, and Katrina buried her face in her arms. Fred squeezed her hand and she found herself wishing the ground would suck her down and away from the stares of others.

"What happened to me sleeping?" she asked, muffled from her position.

"Ah, right! Well," Fred said, splaying himself onto his stomach and still refusing to release her hand, "I'm pretty comfortable like this, aren't you?"

"_Fred!_" Katrina moaned, stretching out her limbs in an attempt to show him how desperate she was. He only chuckled. "I'm serious! I'm tired!"

"I don't see why you can't sleep like this," Fred hummed, and Katrina grunted in disagreement.

Lee snored from beside her. He had somehow gone to sleep during it all, and Katrina found herself wishing she could have done the same.

"Fine, fine," she yawned, stretching out a bit again, "But I'm a kicker, I've warned you."

"If I wake up without you clung to my side, you can color me thoroughly disappointed."

"Goodnight," she groaned, and the girls giggled in response.

"Goodnight, love," Fred said, moving her hand around a bit in his. Katrina set her head comfortably in Lee's direction, and closed her eyes, willing sleep to overtake her.

But it never came.

Instead, thoughts of what was actually happening inside the castle disturbed her peaceful thoughts. Fear was raking through her stomach again by the time the girls, Fred, and George were all quietly breathing to themselves in sleep. However, as Fred's hand twitched in hers now and then, Katrina had the awful suspicion that we was still wide awake.

"Katrina?" he whispered, and she grunted in response. "Your hair's gone red again."

"Has it?" she whispered back worriedly. As she turned to face him she saw that, indeed, her hair was a deeper red than his.

"You really shouldn't be so scared," Fred mumbled, frowning as he began to lightly thumb the back of Katrina's hand. "The teachers have got everything under control."

"But you don't know that," Katrina said quickly, "Black could be — he could be outside the hall doors right now, ready to burst in!"

"Shh," Fred whispered fervently, and Katrina snapped her mouth shut. "Black's not in the castle, I'm sure of it. It's been hours and there's been no word."

"That could mean that he's just hiding —" she closed her mouth again as Fred shot her a stiff glare.

"We're safe, Katrina," he said, and Katrina felt her stiff shoulders loosen as he squeezed her hand again. "Hogwarts is safer than anywhere, even Gringotts, I'm sure. Nobody's died for decades! And the last thing that happened was a bloody giant snake sifting through the plumbing, and even then, nobody was killed!"

Katrina frowned, but decided not to retort. He would get agitated if she did. Fred's gaze considerably softened as he placed his chink on his pillow, staring at their hands.

"I'm really surprised you haven't hexed me by now," he muttered, and Katrina hardly stifled her laugh.

"It's just because I haven't got my wand," she said slickly, but he looked at her with a smile from the corner of his eyes.

"I don't think so," and Katrina felt herself grin besides herself. Lying her head on her pillow, she felt herself relax further as Fred pressed his fingers between hers.

"Goodnight, love," he whispered, and Katrina smiled sleepily to herself.

"Goodnight, Fred."

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER EIGHT**

* * *

_Whoop, another large chapter! ouo _

_Anyways, this sort of elaborates on something about Katrina I haven't really touched on yet, but I'll elaborate later on in other chapters. To put it simply, she gets really anxious about certain things and ideals. That's where Fred comes in and saves the day! o;  
_

_I hope you can see their wonderful little relationship blooming *u* I'm so giddy for you all to see how they turn out uwu though that's definitely a long ways away! ;u;  
_

_Happy Holidays!  
_


	9. THE SCIENCE OF DEDUCTION

On any usual week, Katrina would receive a letter on Saturday from her parents. But, seeing as Sirius Black had invaded Hogwarts just the day before, this was not considered a usual week.

Just as she sat beside Lee and Cora at the Gryffindor table for breakfast, Katrina noticed and openly scowled at the many owls flapping around and delivering mail. There were many more than usual, all from worried parents, she was sure, and a familiar sense of foreboding had begun to grip at her stomach.

With a loud _thud,_ a ginormous Great Grey landed right in front of her plate of eggs and bacon.

"Bloody hell!" Lee exclaimed, jumping back and holding his bowl of Pixie Puffs to his chest.

"Wotcher, Alphonse," Katrina mumbled as she slowly untied the small package attached to one of Alphonse's feet. The owl gave her an affectionate nip on the ear and a seemingly worried glance as she placed the roughly-wrapped package on the table, then silently flapped away.

She was silent as she slowly tore the paper holding whatever she knew her father had sent her. As a matter of fact, she was so engrossed in her worries that she didn't even notice the twins receiving letters from an owl with horrible aim. As Katrina fingered the small, rounded mirror in her palm (it was only about as big as her hand) she read the note attached to it with a frown.

_ We need to talk. Now._

_ Dad_

"What is it, Katrina?" Cora asked as she stared at the mirror.

"It's my dad's," Katrina mumbled back as the twins wiped porridge off their robes. "It's a two-way mirror."

"I've heard of those!" Alicia spoke up from beside Lee, "They've got these charms on them so you can communicate between two mirrors."

"Yeah," Katrina sighed as Fred and George removed their attention from their letters and now to her, "My dad has one and my mom had the other, but I suspect he's going to want me to keep this one, what with what's been going on. . . ."

"You've always been clever," the mirror spoke, and the table seemed to jump in unison besides Katrina, who was frowning down at it.

"Wotcher, Dad."

"Wotcher, Katrina," Mr. Rhinehart's reflection in the mirror smiled worriedly, and Katrina sighed. His hair was a mousy brown and he had bags under his eyes again. "Are you alright, Sweetheart?"

"I'm fine, Dad," she replied as she pushed Lee away with her other hand. He had been leaning onto her shoulder to get a good look at her father. "Really, everything's fine. They didn't find anybody in the castle last night or this morning and they're taking extra precautions, I'm sure —"

"Katrina," Mr. Rhinehart said sternly, and she sighed again.

"Daddy, really, it's fine —"

"I know him," Mr. Rhinehart said so suddenly that Katrina jumped. Staring wide-eyed down at the mirror, she clamped it to her chest quickly and glanced around at the table. Cora, Fred, George, Lee, Angelina, Alicia, Katie, and Oliver Wood were all looking at her with the same expression.

Shooting the mirror out again and staring at her father's somber expression, she quickly shouted, "Sorry, Dad! First period's about to start, gotta run!" and slammed the mirror face-down on the table.

Mr. Rhinehart hardly got a syllable of his daughter's name out before he lost connection. The table was silent, and Katrina quickly shoved a spoonful of eggs and a slice of bacon into her mouth before shoving the mirror into her pocket and rapidly walking away.

"See you in Herbology, Cora!" she shouted over her shoulder, and nearly ran out of the Great Hall.

In that moment, she was quite glad the boys had shown her a few hiding spots. Slipping into a passageway behind a tapestry on the second floor, she ripped out the mirror again and whispered furiously at it. Her father's reflection was frowning at her.

"You _knew_ him?" she whispered harshly, and Mr. Rhinehart seemed to flinch.

"Not well," he mumbled back, "but what happened to first period?"

"It was a lie, Daddy," Katrina groaned, sliding down a wall and onto the floor, "Herbology doesn't start until nine, and it's only eight now. I was at breakfast, Dad! And everybody heard you!"

Mr. Rhinehart grimaced. "Sorry, Sugarplumb. I know how Ravenclaws can be. . . ."

Katrina winced this time. "Actually," she mumbled, feeling a faint burning in her cheeks and staring down at the floor, "I was with Cora and a bunch of Gryffindors. . . ."

"Gryffindors?" Mr. Rhinehart seemed to perk up considerably, and he might have regained the slightest bit of green coloring in his hair. "You've realized we're the best house, have you?"

"No," Katrina snapped, "Ravenclaw is by far superior. They're just . . . nicer."

Mr. Rhinehart smiled, but then frowned. "Right, down to business.

"I did know Sirius Black, Katrina. Not well, like I said, but somewhat. We were in the same house, Gryffindor, and I was a year above him. He was a bright sport, really, and I don't know how he got mixed up with the Dark Arts, but he did, and it's horrible."

"I know what he did," Katrina mumbled, shuffling into an awkward sitting position, "He betrayed James and Lily Potter, didn't he? To You-Know-Who?" she shivered. She hated the thought.

"Yes," Mr. Rhinehart said gravely, "James was his best friend, Katrina. They were nearly tied to the hip, Sirius Black and James Potter. They had other friends, too, and that's what makes it even more horrible."

"They were _friends?_" Katrina gasped, "He told You-Know-Who where his _best friend_ was hiding?"

"Yes," Mr. Rhinehart repeated sadly, and Katrina felt such an anger swell inside her that her scalp boiled. "But there's more. Katrina, do you remember how I told you I met Sally and Nigel Calloway?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course," Katrina nodded, "You said you were in a group under Professor Dumbledore, and you met them there, and that you and Mr. Nigel became best friends."

"Right! Well, Katrina, Sirius was in that group, too. Actually, it wasn't a group," Mr. Rhinehart sighed, "It was an Order. It was called the Order of the Phoenix, Katrina, and we were fighting the war against Voldemort."

Katrina jumped, and stared wide-eyed at her father.

"D-don't say his name," she stuttered out, and Mr. Rhinehart shook his head.

"I will, Katrina, because I fought him. I stood and stand up against him, and his name doesn't scare me.

"But that's beside the point, Katrina," Mr. Rhinehart continued with a sigh, "Sirius was against Voldemort —" Katrina flinched, "— as much as we all were, or so we thought. I fought Death Eaters beside him and James, beside them and their other friends, and never would I have thought he'd be a Death Eater himself."

"So he didn't just betray the Potters," Katrina came to a realization, "He betrayed you and the rest of the Order, didn't he?"

Mr. Rhinehart nodded and visibly slumped his shoulders. "Yes, Katrina, he did. What makes it worse is that, after Voldemort —" Katrina flinched again, "— killed the Potters, and was beaten somehow by Harry Potter, Sirius killed one of his other dear friends. Peter Pettigrew, Katrina, was only a finger by the time Sirius was finished."

Katrina raised a hand to her face and began to massage her temples. "Th-that's horrible," she muttered, shaking her head. "How could he do that? To his best friends?"

"Maybe he wasn't as close to James and Peter as we thought," Mr. Rhinehart frowned, "I know he and Peter didn't always get along as well as he and James did, but still, it's dreadful. It makes me wonder if he hasn't done anything to Remus yet."

"Remus?"

"Remus Lupin," Mr. Rhinehart nodded, and Katrina's head shot up. "Remus, Peter, James, and Sirius were all the pranksters of the school in my time."

"_Lupin,_ Daddy? Remus _Lupin?_ As in R.J. Lupin?" Katrina stared at her father as he nodded, confused.

"Yes, why?"

"Daddy! Daddy, R.J. Lupin! _Professor_ R.J. Lupin! He's our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this year!"

Mr. Rhinehart raised his eyebrows high onto his head. "Really? He never seemed the teaching type to me. . . . Always a bit quiet, Remus was."

Katrina shook her head. Everything was slowly piecing together.

"No, no, Daddy! Sirius couldn't have just walked into Hogwarts, could he? What if — what if Professor Lupin helped him?" As much as she hated to say it, as she had grown rather fond of Professor Lupin, it all made sense. A hand from the inside. Mr. Rhinehart began to scowl so darkly that Katrina nearly dropped the mirror in fright.

"I'm afraid that makes more sense than I would like, Katrina."

"I-I," Katrina stuttered, "Th-that's . . . B-but he's so nice! And he's a really, really amazing Professor! How could he be —?" But she stopped herself and shook her head. "No, no, you're right, it makes sense. I-I have to tell Professor Dumbledore, or something!"

"No," Mr. Rhinehart's frown softened, "No, if Dumbledore recruited Remus, then he must be very faithful in him —"

"But Dad!" Katrina felt her hair begin to boil again and saw it flash from red — when had it changed again? — to white once more. "It's obvious! He's — he's betraying his friends! Betraying Professor Dumbledore, betraying James and Lily Potter, betraying Harry, betraying all of us! And — and — I thought he was so _nice,_ Daddy!"

"Katrina, sweetheart, don't go doing anything stu—"

"No, Daddy!" Katrina whispered harshly to him, and saw her father flinch again. "He's horrible! A-and I can't stand it!"

"Katrina —"

"Goodbye!" And with that, she shoved the mirror into her schoolbag without another word.

There was a fury building up inside her that she hadn't ever felt before. Professor Lupin had become her favorite teacher in Hogwarts quite quickly, seeing as he was so empathetic and kind, but now she felt utterly _betrayed._ Katrina felt herself stomping out from behind the tapestry, felt her stomping up steps and past a group of first years, but she didn't see anything. She could only think at that moment, and her thoughts we not very nice.

When she finally came back to her senses (somewhat), she realized that she was at Lupin's office door. Uncertainty was bubbling through the back of her head — was he still at breakfast? Readying his first lesson of the day? Helping Sirius Black back into the castle?

But she didn't think much of it after that. Taking the handle and swinging the door open, a small part in the deepest part of her mind was relieved to see him at his desk.

"Katrina!" Professor Lupin exclaimed, looking up at her with a surprised expression. "Is something wrong?"

"Bloody right, there's something wrong!" Katrina felt like bellowing the words out, but only muttered them instead. Shutting the door behind her, she faced the professor with a furious look and he furrowed his eyebrows in thought.

"What is it?"

"You! You've — you've —" Katrina began to stutter as she paced back and forth in the office, making obscene hand motions. "You let him in! Didn't you? Sirius Black! You let him in last night because you're in cahoots or something and — and you somehow swindled Professor Dumbledore into recruiting you and — and it's some plan for something, I know it! And — and — and —"

The look on Lupin's face shocked Katrina into silence. He was calm and, somehow, understanding.

"Sit down, Katrina."

And she did so. She didn't know why, this man had let Sirius Black into the castle, but she felt herself sit in the chair and stare at her professor.

Lupin sighed, rubbing his cheek absentmindedly and then staring straight back at her.

"Your father told you about Sirius, didn't he?"

Katrina nodded, and he sighed again.

"As much of a brave man your father is, Katrina, he's a bit of a paranoid person. That's why he's an Auror, and a good one at that. But let me reassure you," he leaned forward on his desk and looked Katrina dead in the eye, and she realized just how stupid she had been, "I would never let the man who killed my two best friends into this castle."

They were silent for a moment, and Katrina stared down at her hands in her lap, which were fumbling together.

"I'm sorry, Professor," she mumbled as Lupin sat back into his chair, and he nodded.

"It's quite alright, Katrina. It was a very reasonable deduction. Would you like some tea before the start of class?"

"Oh, uhm," Katrina looked up at him, and he smiled. "If you don't mind, Professor."

"I never mind a cup of tea." Professor Lupin stood from his chair and walked over to his kettle, where he began to magically fix some tea. Katrina continued to twist her fingers into knots, feeling her scalp prickle lavender in embarrassment as she thought of her actions. Lupin looked over his shoulder and smiled again before carrying over two cups of steaming tea and handing one to her. "Careful, it's hot."

"Thank you," she mumbled, now fingering the handle of her cup, still not looking up at Lupin as he sat back down in his chair.

"You're a lot like your mother, you know," he commented after another silence, and Katrina's head shot up.

"You knew my mother?"

Lupin nodded. "Yes, somewhat. Your father had found a liking in her his seventh year, I believe, and had begun to tug her over to the Gryffindor table for every meal possible. She was a very clever witch."

"Thank you," Katrina said quietly again, staring down at her tea. "I don't see how we're similar, though, she's a very — er — outgoing person."

"She wasn't always," Lupin wisely took a sip of his tea, "She was actually quite shy the first time Robert brought her over and introduced her to us all." Katrina cocked her brow.

"Really?" Lupin nodded again, "But she's not anything like that now!"

He laughed quietly to himself. "No, I would hope not, after marrying Robert. He was incredibly outgoing, the direct opposite from her. I think that's what brought them together. Very unlikely pair, your parents. Maria was one to study all the time, keeping to herself and hardly talking to anybody, if I remember right. Robert was the opposite, never studying or paying attention in many classes, I'm sure. He waited until the last minute to do his homework — I would know, he usually wanted me to help him with it, despite the grade difference — and was incredibly loud all the time."

"He sounds like Fred, George, and Lee," Katrina snorted, and Lupin nodded again, smiling.

"Yes, they're similar in many ways. The twins and Lee enjoy a bit more havoc though, I believe?"

"Very much so," Katrina laughed lightly, and Lupin took another sip of his tea.

"We all took a liking to Robert," he said after a while, and Katrina looked at him oddly again after taking a cautious sip of her drink, "He enjoyed to entertain us with his — er — _abilities._"

Katrina snorted. "That sounds exactly like Dad."

"The teachers secretly enjoyed it when he would joke around in the classrooms. He always brightened up the atmosphere. Even McGonagall smiled at him once."

"Really?" Katrina laughed, and Lupin smiled wider.

"That's how the rumor goes, anyways. Don't tell her that I said this, but Professor McGonagall has always loved a bit of mischief."

"I think that fits her, actually," Katrina mumbled, sipping her tea again, "Something about Professor McGonagall has always told me that she's not quite as strict as she wants everyone to think."

Remus nodded again, and they sat sipping their tea in comfortable silence.

"How exactly did you talk to your father, Katrina?" Lupin asked, and Katrina nearly jumped. "He's not one to put all of this in a letter."

"Oh, no," she shook her head and placed her cup on the table before leaning down and pulling out the mirror Alphonse had given her, "He sent me this. It's a two-way mirror, we were talking behind one of the tapestries on the second floor."

Lupin's eyes twinkled as Katrina handed him the mirror and he flipped it around and around in his hands. "The one of _The Lady and the Unicorn,_ am I correct?"

Katrina nodded slowly, knitting her brow. "Yes, how did you know?"

"I've used it many times in my school days," Lupin said as he handed her the mirror back, "You could say my friends and I were up to no good."

Katrina stared at Professor Lupin now, rigid and her mouth slightly agape. Snapping her jaw shut, she slipped the mirror back into her bag, never looking away from Lupin, who seemed to be staring off into the distance, surely thinking of his days as a mischief-maker.

"Professor?" she asked slowly after a moment, and Lupin looked back at her, smiling again.

"Yes, Katrina?"

"Well — er —" she hastily shoved a thick wad of blue hair behind her shoulder (she really must learn to pay more attention when it changes), "My friends, Fred, George, and Lee, all said something similar to that when I asked them how they knew the castle so well."

"Did they, now?" Lupin's eyes seemed to twinkle again and Katrina nodded hastily.

"Yes, they did! They said that they promised a few close friends of theirs that they would 'stay up to no good.' Do you have any idea what that might mean, Professor?"

"I might," Lupin smiled warmly at her again, and Katrina saw that he might have been the slightest bit proud. "But it's nearly nine o'clock. You'd best get to your first period, Katrina."

"Oh, yes, right!" Katrina stood abruptly, slinging her bag over her shoulder and heading for the door. "Thank you for the tea, Professor!"

"Not a problem, Katrina," he replied as he picked up the tea cups and stood, wandering off to a corner of his office. As Katrina opened the door, he looked at her from over his shoulder. "Would you like to visit me again next week?"

"Oh," Katrina smiled as she turned to him and found Professor Lupin smiling back at her, "I think I would like that very much, Professor."

"Good," Lupin nodded and returned to his desk, where he sat down again and clasped his hands together on the table, "Now off you get, and if you get the chance, I would greatly appreciate it if you told your father that I am as loyal to Dumbledore as ever before."

Katrina grinned as she exited Lupin's office and said, "Of course, Professor."

Her grin, however, faded when she found herself facing Professor Snape.

"Miss Rhinehart," he droned, and Katrina frowned.

"Professor Snape," she mumbled, and made to pass him when she noticed a steaming goblet in his hand.

"Is something the matter?" Snape asked with a scowl, and Katrina looked back up at him, a sudden defiance pushing its way up her throat before she thought through it.

"Yes, actually, and the problem's standing right in fr—"

"Ah, Severus!" Lupin exclaimed as he walked up behind her, and Katrina went rigid. "I was wondering when you'd be stopping by with my potion. Do come in!"

Snape curled his lip and said in a dreadfully hateful voice, "So sorry, Remus, I nearly forgot about it this morning. That would be awful, wouldn't it?"

"Very much so," Lupin smiled, and Katrina looked at him over her shoulder, terrified. He gave her a wink just as Snape slithered into his office, and she heaved a sigh of relief. "Go on now, hurry."

"Thank you," she mouthed and he nodded, closing the door behind him. Katrina was then off again, mind buzzing. She nearly lost her temper — actually, she _did_ lose her temper. Never had she talked back to a teacher, not even Snape.

* * *

"You told him _what?_" Cora whispered harshly as she wrestled their Fanged Geranium into a new pot.

"That something was the matter, and that he was the problem because he was standing right in front of me," Katrina answered glumly as she poured compost of dragon dung into the pot. Cora began to grin.

"The boys are _really_ rubbing off on you, aren't they?"

"It's not funny!" Katrina muttered as she began to pat out the soil and fertilizer, "I nearly cost fifty points for Ravenclaw!"

"Yes, but look at you, Katrina!" Cora squealed, clasping the Fanged Geranium's mouth shut with both hands, "You're standing up for yourself!"

"Cora, I talked back to a _teacher!_"

"Well, at least it was Snape!" Cora reasoned as they both backed away from their perfectly re-potted Fanged Geranium, "Everybody hates Snape, except for maybe the Slytherins. The Gryffindors would probably bow to you, actually."

Katrina groaned. "Besides the fact I was a smart-ass to a teacher, something else is bothering me. . ."

"What is it?" Cora frowned as Professor Sprout walked by, muttering a hasty congratulations before hustling over to a pair of Ravenclaws that were getting bitten multiple times by their plant.

"Snape was holding a goblet in his hand, and Professor Lupin called it 'his potion'. You don't think he's sick, do you?"

"I don't know," Cora's frown deepened, "But if he is, at least Snape is helping him get better."

Katrina snorted. "I think he'd poison Professor Lupin before he would help heal him."

"Maybe he did poison him," Cora shrugged as Katrina gave her a perplexed look, "Maybe Professor Dumbledore found out and now Snape has to help cure him back to normal."

"Professor Lupin _seemed_ pretty normal, though," Katrina whispered as she slipped off her gloves.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Katrina nodded as she remembered her visit with Lupin, but then began to frown. "No, actually. He did seem rather tired, now that I think about it, and he had bags under his eyes."

"Hah! So that's what it is then!" Cora nodded approvingly to herself, slipping off her own gloves and placing her fists on her hips. "Snape poisoned Lupin and Dumbledore found out, so now Snape has to heal him back to normal again!"

"Surely Professor Lupin wouldn't want to take another potion from Snape, though? He could just poison it again and kill him on the spot."

Cora frowned. "I suppose you're right," she sighed, slumping her shoulders a bit as she stared at the Fanged Geranium, which was snapping at a fly buzzing by. "Lupin's not dumb."

"No, he isn't," Katrina shook her head just as the bell rang.

Cora sighed again as she and Katrina heaved their bags onto their shoulders. "I'll see you at lunch!" she called, then walked out of the greenhouse.

"See you!" Katrina bellowed, situating her bag a bit before following a group of Hufflepuffs out the door and heading to Transfiguration.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER NINE**

* * *

_Whoa whoops I made a chapter with hardly any Fred at all I'm sorry ;u;_

_But yeah, you learn a bit more about Katrina's parents (particularly her dad) in this chapter. Mr. Robert Rhinehart used to be in the Order of the Phoenix! Cool, right? Cora's parents were, too! And, just so you know, Nigel and Sally (Cora's parents, if you didn't catch that) met because of the Order! Cool, huh?  
_

_Also, look! Lupin's become rather fond of Katrina, hasn't he? They'll have weekly chats now, I think uwu It's a wonderful relationship they're gonna have, I think.  
_

_Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! And I hope that, for those of you who celebrated, your Christmas was wonderful (along with any other Holidays that have passed/are coming up)!  
_


	10. CONSIDERATE

"What exactly did your dad mean?"

Katrina sighed as she sat down heavily for Transfiguration at her usual table, seated with Lee and beside Fred and George. Cora had been considerate enough not to mention how she had stormed off during breakfast, but the boys were obviously eager to get to the point.

"Exactly what he said, Fred. He knew Sirius Black." she replied quietly as she sifted through her bag for a Deluxe Sugar Quill.

"Really?" Lee whispered over her back as the twins' jaws dropped. As Katrina straightened up again, quill clenched tightly between her fingers, she rolled her eyes.

"You know, he did go to school here. You'd think people would know him, wouldn't you?"

Though a thought was nagging at her that kept Katrina's mouth glued, to a certain extent. Sirius Black had been a member of this "Order of the Phoenix", and he had fought against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Glancing between Fred, George, and Lee, she heaved a sigh again before leaning over and searching for parchment and her Colour-Change Ink.

". . . Is that it?"

Katrina paused, and then shuffled through her bag faster.

"Yes, George. Positively."

"Then where were you for the rest of breakfast?"

Katrina sat up again and stared at Fred blankly. She hadn't thought of that.

"Having a chat with Professor Lupin," she replied truthfully, and the twins' eyebrows raised.

"Why?"

"Will you stop asking questions?" she snapped, placing her parchment and ink on her desk as Professor McGonagall reiterated things she wanted them all to note. The boys frowned together, as if in sync.

"Something's bothering you, isn't it?" Lee murmured as Katrina sucked on the end of her Sugar Quill. At the look she gave him, he quickly shut his mouth and fumbled for his own parchment and quill.

"Lee's right," George piped as he looked around Fred, "You've got this look about you that practically screams 'I'm being bothered so please, oh, please ask me about it.' " he and Fred snickered quietly as Katrina glared at them from the corner of her eyes.

"Bugger off, I'm just hungry," she mumbled, jotting down review notes for the spell _Vera Verto_.

"Well, if you didn't have tea with Lupin, then you could've finished breakfast with us," Fred muttered as he doodled on his paper, not bothering to take notes for anything.

"It was actually sort of quiet after you left," George said, leaning on his brother as he peered over his back, "Oliver was really keen to seeing your Snape impression."

Katrina snorted. "Speaking of Snape, I bumped into him when I left Professor Lupin's. You ought to be proud of me, I told him off."

"Did you?" Fred's head shot up, and Lee nearly dropped his ink bottle. Sighing again, Katrina nodded.

"Yeah. He asked me if there was a problem, ignorant arse, and I said that as a matter of fact, there was, and it was standing right in front of me."

The boys all began to grin widely, and despite herself, Katrina may have smiled a small bit.

"How many points did he take?" Lee whispered, and Katrina chuckled airily.

"None! Can you believe it?" She looked between the twins and Lee again, beginning to grin herself. "Lupin came in at just the right moment and distracted him!"

"Blimey," Fred and George chorused, and Katrina shook her head with a light laugh.

"He's taken a liking to you, Lupin has," Fred said as he leaned over the gap between their desks, and Katrina mocked a gasp and slapped his hand lightly before quickly glancing up to make sure McGonagall hadn't noticed.

"He has not! He just knows I'm a _good student!_"

The boys snickered together and Fred shook his head.

"Need we remind you all the rules you've broken since you've met us, Katrina?" Fred waggled one of his eyebrows and she slapped his hand again.

"No, and you'd best not if you want to leave this room with your nose straight!"

"Oh-ho-ho!" Fred nudged her with his shoulder and she giggled, "Is that a threat I'm hearing?"

"Possibly," she replied with a nudge, and Fred gave her a wink. "You're horrible! Now get back to your seat before Professor McGonagall notices, or we'll both loose points!"

"Right, right," Fred nodded sarcastically as he pushed himself back to his table, "Don't want to test your chances again, do you, love?"

"Nope," Katrina popped her lips as she made to scribble down a note, but ended up doodling stars instead. "I've had enough risk-taking for the day, thank you very much."

"Ah, that's too bad," Fred grinned, "because we were hoping to visit Redrump and the others after curfew."

"Really?" Katrina's head shot up as she looked at him, and Fred nodded.

"Yeah, if the weather lets up. If not, we'll probably still go, if you want to."

George had leaned over and whispered something into Fred's ear, which made him turn around and punch his brother's shoulder. George laughed to himself as Fred turned back to Katrina, who didn't notice his slightly-miffed expression.

"I don't mind a bit of rain," Fred grinned again, and Lee nudged her shoulder.

"We'll be meeting outside the Quidditch Pitch at nine," he said, and Katrina nodded.

"Brilliant!" she whispered, and George leaned out from behind his brother again.

"Look at you, Trina, breaking the rules like this!" he beamed, and Katrina quickly grabbed Lee's paper ("Oi!") and bunched it up before lobbing it at his head.

Fred almost lazily beat the ball back with his hand, hitting Katrina in the face.

The boys began to laugh loudly as Katrina's cheeks burned, and McGonagall faced the four of them, pursing her lips furiously.

"Weasleys, Jordan, Rhinehart!" she barked, and the four of them faced her — Katrina in a much more jerky way than the boys. "Do pay attention! These notes are vital for your OWLs!"

"Yes, Professor!" Katrina said as the boys muttered things along the lines of "Alright, alright!" and "Settle down, you old bat."

"You might want to think things through a bit more, love," Fred whispered from the corner of his mouth, "before you throw a paper ball at a couple of Beaters!"

"Shut up," she giggled back, flicking her wand at the paper wad from under the desk and shooting it off at Fred's head silently, where it hit his temple.

It was quiet for a moment, but then the four of them began to chuckle quietly together.

"You've pretty horrible reflexes for a Beater!" Katrina whispered, and Fred began to face her comically.

"Says the witch who can't ride a broom!"

"I can too!" she retorted, smiling, "Just . . . not very well!"

"Not very well," Lee snorted, "More like hardly at all!"

"Hush, you!" she elbowed Lee's arm, and he only laughed back.

"Tell you what," George chimed quietly, turning his quill around in his fingers, "We'll test you one day. You'll ride one of our brooms and you can show us just how horrible you are at flying!"

"Only if you bugger off and let me take notes!" Katrina laughed, and the boys nodded their agreement.

"It's a deal!" Fred said, shooting his hand out to her. Eying it suspiciously and then lopsidedly smiling at Fred, Katrina wrapped her fingers around his palm and shook it.

"A deal," she said quietly, and they both grinned.

* * *

"Bloody hell!" Katrina bellowed as she sloshed to the Quidditch Pitch beside Cora (who had been told of their arrangements at breakfast) through the thick blankets of rain and wind. "Don't tell me you lot _practice_ during this weather?"

"Of course we do!" Fred yelled back as they all huddled into one of the dressing rooms, "An owl doesn't stop delivering just because it begins to rain, does it?"

"No, I suppose not," Katrina said as she shook out her robes with a frown, "But if you ask me, I wouldn't want my owl delivering in these conditions."

"Nobody in their right mind would," Cora nodded, shivering just a bit. She made to pull out her wand, but George placed a hand on her shoulder before she could.

"Don't even bother drying yourself off, love," he said, "We'll be going out again in a minute or two."

Cora and Katrina groaned, slouching together onto a bench. The boys stared at them, amused, before chatting to themselves.

"You don't think Hagrid's sent them off yet, do you?" George whispered to Lee, who shook his head.

"No, I asked him about it right after lunch. He wasn't happy about us seeing them, of course," Lee chuckled lightly, "but he said that he'll be sending them off the day after we all leave for Christmas."

"I hope they're alright," Katrina mumbled from beside Cora, who grunted her agreement. "Did you ask him where he's sending them off to?"

"Yeah," Lee nodded again, "He said Dumbledore has a friend that owns a hippogriff reserve not far from here. Hagrid actually told me — after all the scolding, of course — that it's good they've got friends. Said they were lonely."

"Poor Redrump," Katrina mumbled, frowning down at her sodden robes. Fred sighed, moseying over beside her and using her head as an armrest.

"They'll be fine," he waved his other hand dismissively and Katrina huffed, shifting her head to the side so his arm fell onto her shoulder, sending him off balance.

But he quickly regained his footing and slapped her ear with a small smile. "Lighten up, love, really. Imagine all the other hippogriffs they'll be with!"

"But what if he doesn't like it?" Katrina looked up at him worriedly, "What if he or the others don't fit in?"

"They're only animals," he reasoned with a shrug, and then winced as Cora surely sent him a glare.

"They'll be fine," George smiled as he and Lee opened the door to the outside again, where the rain was pouring harshly. "They've got each other, if the worst comes to the worst."

"I suppose," Katrina sighed as she and Cora stood, bracing themselves for the trek ahead of them.

Fred looped his arm between her elbows, as did Lee. Cora looped arms with him, and George her. The five of them looked between themselves, amused and slowly regretting their decision to ever walk out in such weather.

"Together?" the twins asked, and Katrina couldn't keep herself from grinning.

"Together!" she, Cora, and Lee cried as they all somehow shuffled through the door and to the Forbidden Forest.

* * *

Redrump and the other hippogriffs were quite excited when they saw Katrina, Cora, and the boys. Katrina made sure to spend extra time petting and talking to Redrump, who seemed to greatly enjoy the affection. They were all rather sad to leave, but as it was getting increasingly hard to see between the darkness and the rain, they all decided to tether the creatures up again until another visit before Christmas.

"I hope they'll be alright," Katrina mumbled as they slipped into the castle, sopping wet and robes covered with mud.

"Of course they will," Fred whispered, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and shaking her lightly before leading Katrina away. "Shall we escort Cora to her common room first, George?"

"I think we shall, Fred," George said as he did the same to Cora, who giggled quietly to herself. Lee got between the two of them and pouted.

"What, I don't get a girl?" he asked, and the twins looked at each other, and then grinned.

Fred and George each put an arm around Lee's shoulders, who immediately began to squirm as the girls stifled their laughter.

"Oi! Oi, that's not what I meant!" Lee yelped as quietly as he could. The twins snickered.

"You're girl enough for the both of us," Fred told Lee, who crossed his arms and scowled up at him jokingly.

Katrina elbowed Fred in the ribs, causing him to jump and nearly exclaim a curse word in surprise. He released her and Lee (who seemed relieved as George followed Fred) and rubbed his ribcage gingerly.

"What was that for?" he hissed, and Katrina placed her hands on her waist reproachfully.

"There's nothing wrong with being a girl," she stuck her chin into the air and Fred snorted. "Really, there isn't! I could be just a boy as you are, but I choose to be a girl. There's nothing wrong with it!"

George and Lee seemed thoughtful as Fred waved his arms in exasperation.

"Yes, yes, think what you will!" he said hastily, "But we've got to go before Filch hears us!"

Katrina and Cora shivered simultaneously. Sharing a glance, they nodded and followed the boys until they lead them to the kitchens.

"We'll have to leave you here, love," George whispered to Cora, who nodded.

"It's fine, I can manage. Be careful, okay?" she looked over the boys and Katrina with a small smile, and then said, "Goodnight!"

"Goodnight!" they whispered back, and then the boys nodded to Katrina.

"Ravenclaw Tower?" Fred asked, and Katrina frowned.

"It's such a long ways up, though!" she slumped her shoulders and Lee laughed quietly. Katrina frowned. "I'm tired, and what would the others think if they saw me coming in so late?"

"It's nearly midnight, Katrina," Fred said as he looked at his watch and cocked an eyebrow at her, "Surely all you Ravenclaws go to bed early?"

Katrina gave him a look and he raised his eyebrows.

"No?"

"No, a good lot of them stay up late studying. Specifically Fifth and Seventh Years."

The boys sighed, and Fred and George ran their hands through their hair.

"You could always stay with us again, but Cadogan's a mess."

"Cadogan?" Katrina knitted her eyes together, and George nodded. They all began to move down the corridor again and toward the Grand Staircase.

"Yeah," George said, "He's the new portrait watching over the common room. He only changes the password twice a day."

Katrina scowled. "That's dreadful. I'm glad we don't have passwords to remember. . . ."

"No, you just have to answer riddles," Lee rolled his eyes, "And if you get it wrong, you have to sleep on the stairwell! That's nice, isn't it?"

"Better than —"

"Keep your voices down!" the twins whispered harshly, and Lee and Katrina promptly shut their mouths.

"You're whining about not wanting to go all the way up to Ravenclaw Tower," George mumbled ("I am not whining!" Katrina retorted) as they all climbed one of the many moving staircases, "but we're on the seventh floor! You're rather bright, aren't you?"

"Oh, shut up," Katrina grumbled as they each skipped a faulty step, climbing higher and higher in silence.

She was panting by the time they reached the portrait of Sir Cadogan, who was nearly pushed over by his fat pony.

"Halt! Who goes there?" he screamed, and the boys groaned.

"_Chipper Chivalry,_" the three of them chorused, and Cadogan stood straight and upright.

"Ahah! Well done, young Gryffindors! You have earned the right of passage!"

Katrina yawned as the portrait swung open and sleepily entered the Gryffindor common room, hardly taking notice as Sir Cadogan continued to rant on before he shut himself.

"I'm so tired," she mumbled as she stretched her arms out, standing in front of the warm fire and willing it to dry her robes. Suddenly, she remembered she was a witch and pulled out her wand, muttering a spell and pointing it at herself. Moments later, she was void of mud and perfectly dry.

"What's going to be our sleeping arrangements?" George asked as he flopped onto an armchair. A few of the remaining Gryffindors eyed them suspiciously before continuing what they were doing before. Katrina faced George, confused, and then realization dawned on her.

"Shit," she cursed, and the boys looked at her in surprise. "I didn't even think of that! It's not like I can sleep with you! Merlin, I'm an idiot!"

"Relax!" Fred said as he squeezed her shoulder, "We've got the whole common room to choose from, like last time!"

Katrina groaned and thudded her head against his chest. Fred began to chuckle.

"You're a right mess when you're tired, love."

"I know," she moaned, and the boys all laughed to themselves. "I'm _so_ tired. . . ."

"Let's get you to bed, then," Fred mumbled as he took Katrina by the hip, leading her over to one of the couches and sitting them both on it. "Fancy sleeping on my lap again, do you?"

"Shut up, you twit," Katrina slurred, pushing off his body so she could lean back into the couch. As Fred chuckled and placed his feet on the coffee table, she found herself dozing and her eyelids growing heavier and heavier. Exhausted with all the walking she had done in the rain, Katrina fell asleep faster than she ever had before.

The common room was silent. Lee took a chair across from George, who was staring up at the ceiling, deep in thought.

"Technically," he said aloud, and Fred and Lee looked at him, "she sort of can sleep with us. But I think she's too tired to realize that she can change into anything."

* * *

She groaned. Where was she again? She certainly wasn't in her bed, since she was sitting up and against something rather than lying down. What did she even _do_ last night? All Katrina remembered was feeling utterly exhausted after walking back into the castle around midnight (_Oh my god,_ she thought, _I was in the Forbidden Forest until _midnight.) and the rest was a blur of drowsiness.

Somehow, she pried her eyes open. Through the wake-up gunk clouding her eyesight, she could just make out the flames of a lit fireplace and a table decorated with two large, black blocks. Blinking multiple times, the clouds moved away and she realized that the blocks were actually feet, one on top of the other, and legs were connected to them.

That's right, she was in the Gryffindor common room. Why she wanted to be in the _Gryffindor_ common room last night, she had no idea. But, she reasoned, their couches were much more comfortable for sleeping on than the ones in Ravenclaw Tower.

Katrina stretched her folded legs out onto the carpet, leaning into the back of the couch and whatever was connected to her left side. It was much warmer, whatever it was, and despite being a bit lumpy it was incredibly cozy.

Something thudded itself onto her head and in her sleepy daze, Katrina turned into whatever it was and sighed, content. Did everything in the Gryffindor common room smell so nice? Or was it just that couch?

Wait a moment.

It was _holding_ her.

Very slowly, Katrina blinked and took in the details of the thing. It had shoulders, she was leaning on one, and a neck, because she was looking straight at it. It also had a chest, she could feel it moving steadily under her hands, and an arm that was wrapped around her back with a hand around her middle.

This wasn't a thing, it was a person, and as Katrina drunkenly remembered just how she had fell asleep last night, she dimly realized who it was.

She took a sharp intake of breath and stiffened. Much too tired to think straight, her mind began to pound against her skull and blood rushed to her face. Katrina began to wriggle away from Fred, who snored a bit and mercifully released her from his grasp. Quickly, Katrina scurried to the other end of the couch, bunching her legs to her chest and staring wide-eyed around the room. George and Lee were breathing softly in their chairs, and the rest of the room was empty. From one of the windows, she could just make out a sliver of sun peeking over the horizon.

Shakily, Katrina rolled up the sleeve of her robes and stared at her watch. The two, thin black hands were pointed at words she could just barely make out in her drowsiness: TOO EARLY.

She finally released the breath she had been holding. At least she was far from being late to classes (_Of course I am_, she told herself, _it's sunrise for the Bloody Baron's sake!_). Rubbing her eyes, she begged herself to wake up from this drunken state and think in a straight line rather than the wonky-curvy tracks her train of thought was following. Alas, it was too early.

"Morning," Katrina jumped and stared, wide-eyed once again, at Fred, who yawned and pointed his legs in a stretch. He smiled dumbly at her, wiping his eyes with one hand and raising the other high above his head. "You're quite clingy, you know."

"Wh-what?" Katrina replied thickly, though as his words slowly processed through her mind, she felt a blush return to her face. "Oh, right, sorry. I warned you the other night."

"Yeah, yeah," he said, waving his hand in the air and looking around with bleary eyes. "God, it's early. Why'd you wake me up?"

"I didn't," Katrina replied stupidly, and then shook her head. "I-I mean, I didn't mean to or anything. Sorry."

Fred grunted, splaying himself further and sinking down into the couch. "Don't worry about it."

Katrina rubbed her eyes fiercely in the silence, hoping it would wake her up. She knew very well that she was still mostly asleep and was not keen in feeling embarrassed when she could think properly.

"You're having a bit of a spasm attack there, K'trina," Fred yawned again, and she groaned.

"I'm trying — to wake — myself — up!" she mumbled harshly, pushing her palms to her eyes at each break between her words. After blinking multiple times again and looking at him, Katrina noticed Fred was giving her quite possibly the oddest expression she had ever seen him wear.

He almost looked amused, and maybe just the slightest bit sleepy. His eyebrows were raised high on his forehead and a crooked grin was plastered on his face.

"You could always fall asleep on me again, love, I don't mind." And as he winked at her, Katrina felt her scalp boil harshly enough that she was awake in an instant.

"No thank you," she squeaked, and Fred chuckled, crossing his arms behind his head and staring contently at the fire.

"Awake now, Trina?"

"Very much so, thank you," she squeaked again, and he grinned to himself.

Katrina began to fiddle with her hair as they both fell silent, listening to the light snores of the others and the crackling of the fire. It would have been quite comfortable if she wasn't so unreasonably nervous. Fred looked at her every once-in-a-while, and then back at the fire. He seemed to be waiting for her to say something, but didn't push her to conversation.

At least he was being considerate, Katrina reasoned to herself. She didn't know _why_ she was reasoning, but supposed it was just something to think about.

Actually, Fred and George were very considerate, weren't they? Just the year before, she and almost every other Ravenclaw had seen them as arrogant prats. But now that she knew them, Katrina found them quite thoughtful. Sure, they liked to run head-first into things (or Fred did, at least. George had a tendency to think about consequences a bit more than he did) and start trouble, but it wasn't like they were completely stupid about it. They were confident in themselves, but that didn't mean they were brainless or inconsiderate. In fact, they had been very kind to her, hadn't they?

In Diagon Alley, they had picked up her books. In the Leaky Cauldron, they had humored her. On the train, they had accepted her. During school, they kept her company. They did more than that, she realized, they became her friends — real friends, something she had failed to make over the last four school years. Fred and George introduced her to Lee, to Angelina, Alicia, and Katie; All because, she was sure, they knew she was lonely.

_Lonely._ She had been lonely, and had been foolish and prideful enough to not notice it. Yes, she had been quite lonely, and the twins had helped her with that.

"Katrina?" Fred asked, and she jumped away from her trance.

"Yeah?" she replied, snapping her eyes back to him. He began to smile.

"You were staring off into space," he told her as his smile widened, "grinning like a fool. What's caught your attention, love?"

"Oh," Katrina looked down in her lap and fiddled with her hair a bit more, "Nothing, really. Just thinking."

"About what?"

She shuffled in her seat, bringing her knees closer to her chest. "Things."

Fred shrugged, staring back at the fire once more. "Alright then."

Yes, very considerate indeed.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER TEN**

* * *

_Hullo! ouo  
_

_At first I wasn't very happy with this chapter. I had been planning on having Snape show up again, but then I realized, holy crap, I have other things I want to add in instead. Expect him to show up either next chapter or the one after that!  
_

_But anyways, I'm a lot prouder of this chapter because of how I ended it uwu I needed more fluff. For reasons.  
_

_See you next chapter! ouo  
_


	11. WRATH AND WEREWOLVES

"Werewolves."

"But sir!" Katrina shot up her hand, "We've already covered Werewolves! In fact —"

"Miss Rhinehart," Snape sneered, placing his open book on Lupin's desk and staring at her, curling his lip, "I did not ask for an interruption."

It was Friday, the last day of the school week, and Professor Lupin seemed to have fallen dreadfully ill. Snape was taking up his classes for the day, and to cover up for his Potions classes, all fifth years were given Double History of Magic. It was not a good day, to be blunt.

"Professor," Katrina persisted, lowering her hand to her side, "Werewolves were one of the first things we reviewed —"

"Be quiet," Snape snapped, "I am the teacher of this class today, Miss Rhinehart, and I will not stand to be interrupted by a blithering know-it-all!"

Katrina stiffened.

"Turn to page 394," Snape picked up his book again, not even glancing in Katrina's direction. "_Now,_ before I loose my patience!"

The class, slowly, turned their books to the familiar chapter. Katrina was particularly rigid, and Fred was audibly gritting his teeth beside her. George and Lee, who were in front of them, had begun muttering quietly to themselves and shooting Katrina glances over their shoulders.

She wasn't surprised to feel her throat tighten or her eyes swell with an unwanted stinging. What surprised her was the boiling, fuming, _defiant_ feeling pounding through her body. Snape wouldn't even _listen_ to her! He wasn't teaching them anything, and frankly, it seemed like he was hardly intent on teaching at all. His speech was splattered with insults in _Lupin's_ direction, and it was only firing her up more.

"Which of you can tell me the characteristics of a werewolf that allows us to differentiate it from a regular wolf?" Snape droned, and the room was silent.

Katrina shot her hand up.

All the other Ravenclaws and Gryffindors seemed too apprehensive to move. Snape grazed over Katrina like she was wearing an invisibility cloak.

"Nobody? Pity. . . . It seems Professor Lupin is worse a teacher than I imagined. . . ."

Katrina sucked in a sharp breath.

"Professor Snape, a werewolf can —"

"Be _quiet,_ Miss Rhinehart!"

"_No!"_

If silence could be suffocating, then it certainly was in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Katrina had stood up from her desk, slammed her palms onto the table, and nearly knocked her chair over. Snape looked surprised — or something that looked nearly surprised — for a brief moment, and then curled his lips so fiercely Katrina would have flinched if she wasn't so angry.

She was glaring daggers at him. Fred was staring up at her, mouth agape, and the others were rigid in their seats.

"Ten points from Ravenclaw," Snape droned, but Katrina shouted over him.

"Professor Lupin has taught us every differentiating feature, sir! If you would just _listen,_ as I know the answers along with the rest of the class —"

"Five more points, Rhinehart."

"ONE;" Katrina bellowed, and the room jumped as a whole, "A werewolf's snout is considerably larger and shorter than a regular wolf's!"

"Five points —"

"TWO;" Katrina yelled again, and in turn, the classroom jumped, "The pupils of a werewolf are large and dilated at all times! THREE;"

"_That is enough!_" Snape shouted, and Katrina flinched. He sounded deadly. "Detention, Rhinehart!"

She sucked in another breath. She had never gotten detention before.

"Your imagination must be demented, Snape," she seethed, and she could feel Fred wincing beside her, "because if you think yourself better than Professor Lupin, I'm afraid you must have a room waiting for you at St. Mungo's."

Fred cursed under his breath. Snape's face was contorted with fury, and Katrina began to feel regret bubbling in the bottom of her stomach. But she stood, stiff and rigid, staring ferociously back at him.

Snape glided to her desk, black robes billowing behind him. Katrina raised her chin importantly as he closed in, as if to cover up the fear that was creeping into her mind.

His crooked nose was nearly close enough to jab her cheek. Breath steaming with fury, he hissed, "_Get out of my classroom._"

"Gl-gladly!" Katrina stammered, but shot him a defiant stare. In one swift motion, she gathered up her things and stomped out and into the corridor. Just before slamming the doors behind her, she heard Snape ask, "Just what do you think you're doing?" but paid it no mind. She was much too frantic.

She had begun to sob. The white hair that was plastered to her cheeks flashed to a brilliant red as the flung herself down the hallway, willing herself to find a familiar tapestry or something, anything. In the distance a door closed, causing her to rush faster.

Flinging open the door to a broom closet, she threw her bag and books in before clambering into the tight quarters and closing herself off from the rest of the school so she could cry in peace.

As she huddled onto the floor, pulling her knees to her chest, she thought over what she had said. She had been stupid! And now she had _detention_ — no, she was going to be expelled! That was it, this was the end of her education, she was going to be banished from Hogwarts. She had talked back, blatantly, to Snape!

Katrina sat in the darkness, bawling to herself. Why did she have to be so stubborn, so defiant? Why did Snape have to go around insulting Professor Lupin like that? Why couldn't she had just _kept her head?_ The lesson would've been easy! Maybe Snape simply wanted to review werewolves! Shaking her head sadly, she thudded her forehead against her knees. She was going to be expelled.

The broom closet door opened, and Katrina gasped. She didn't look up to see who was visiting her, nor did she want to. It was humiliating, she was sure. A red-headed girl huddled up in a broom closet, crying loudly to the buckets and brooms, what could be more pitiful?

"C'mon, Katrina," a familiar voice whispered, and Katrina felt herself tighten. Shaking her head, she didn't look up at Fred and George.

"No," she choked out, "I don't want to!"

"Katrina —" George started, but Katrina only shook her head again.

"I don't want to get up!" she repeated, and she could imagine the frowns on the boys' faces. It only made her sob harder.

The twins were silent for a moment, and then one of them knelt in front of her. She didn't know which one, and again, she didn't want to.

A hand had rested on her knee and was squeezing it gently. Katrina shook her head again.

"Let's take you to Flitwick," Fred said, raising back from the floor. Slowly, Katrina raised her head and looked up at him, bleary-eyed. He was frowning, and she didn't like it. Sloppily wiping her eyes, Katrina shook her head once more, for good measure. But Fred held out his hand, and after a moment, she took it.

Something about his touch made her feel better. It was human and calming, much nicer than the feeling of Snape's breath on her face. Fred pulled her up and she wiped her eyes again. George shuffled by, picking up Katrina's bags and books as she and Fred reentered the corridor.

"I know you don't want to hear it," George said quietly as he closed the door to the broom closet, "but that was probably the single most amazing thing I've ever heard."

Katrina choked out a laugh, but didn't reply. George thumped her kindly on the back as they all move down the hall, toward the West Tower.

"Did Snape send you out too?" she eventually croaked, and the twins laughed quietly, shaking their heads.

"No, love, we left," Fred replied, and she looked at him, surprised. He only laughed again. "You made a valid point, we decided, so we packed our things and left right after you."

"Plus," George reasoned, "we knew you were probably in a right state. Couldn't just leave you in the broom closet all alone now, could we?"

Katrina smiled despite her dilemma. Chuckling roughly a bit, she said, "Thank you."

"Don't mention it, love," Fred said kindly, and she nodded.

They climbed the steps of the West Tower, all the way up to the seventh floor. George knocked on the door, and moments later, a squeaky voice called, "Just a moment, please!"

There was a light thumping sound, like miniscule feet running around, and suddenly, the door swung open.

"Oh! Misters Weasley!" Professor Flitwick looked up at the two boys, thunderstruck. He seemed like a mouse looking up at giraffes beside them. "And Miss Rhinehart, what are you all doing out of class? Oh —"

As he caught sight of Katrina, who smiled guiltily down at him, his eyebrows creased sympathetically. "Come in, come in," he said quietly, ushering the three of them into his office and closing the door behind them.

"Sit, please," he said. Katrina did as she was told, sniffing a bit, but the twins took their time. They were gazing about. Apparently, they had never seen the inside of Flitwick's office before. Once they were all comfortably seated, professor included, Flitwick sighed.

"What is it, Miss Rhinehart?" he asked kindly, and Katrina took a deep breath.

"Oh, Professor, I'm so sorry!" she began, and sobs began to shake her chest again. "I-I just got angry a-a-and — and — and —"

"It's alright, dear," Flitwick said quietly as the twins each patted one of Katrina's shoulders, "Take your time. Here, let me get the cakes —"

He ducked into one of his desk drawers, pulling out a tin of cupcakes. Katrina shakily nodded her thanks to him, and he smiled a small smile in response. She took a cupcake and gratefully ate it, nerves subsiding just the slightest bit, but not speaking.

"Misters Weasley," he turned to the twins, who looked back at him in mild surprise and confusion, "Would you like to tell me why Miss Rhinehart is so upset?"

"Well, Professor," George said, lacing his fingers together and setting them on his lap, "We were in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Snape was teaching —"

"_Professor_ Snape, Mr. Weasley," Professor Flitwick corrected, but nodded his head. "Please continue."

"Right, well," Fred replied, "Professor Snape was unreasonably teaching us about werewolves, which we had already covered earlier in the year. Katrina tried to point that out, sir, but he blatantly ignored her and called her a know-it-all."

Flitwick took a sharp intake of breath and Katrina sank lower into her chair.

"Anyways," George continued, "Snape asked us a question, and Katrina was the only one to raise her hand. Snape — sorry — _Professor_ Snape completely ignored her then and instead began insulting Professor Lupin's way of teaching —"

"Which is brilliant, mind you," Fred intervened, and Katrina laughed a little as she ate the last of the cupcake.

"Quite brilliant," George nodded. "But it made Katrina reasonably angry. Actually, quite livid . . . which is why we're here. She stood up for Lupin —"

"Literally," Fred mumbled.

"— and Snape gave Katrina detention."

Professor Flitwick sighed, looking between the three of them. Katrina began to twist her fingers again, and her hair flared from scarlet to lavender.

"I'm sorry, Professor," she said quietly, "I didn't mean to speak out. Professor Snape had just — he had made me so _angry,_ Professor! I-I should've held my tongue, but if I did, he would have continued to insult Professor Lupin and me and everyone else and — and I don't think I could stand it!"

"It's quite alright, Miss Rhinehart," Flitwick said understandably, and Katrina heaved a shaky sigh of relief. "I believe you two were also served detention, Misters Weasley?"

The twins began to grin so widely that Katrina laughed again.

"Why, of course, Professor!" Fred said, and Flitwick shook his head lightheartedly. "We couldn't just let Katrina here suffer through her first detention alone, could we? It's the experience of a lifetime!"

"Cleaning out century-old cauldrons with no magic —" George sighed.

"Scrubbing the dungeon floor with no magic —" Fred continued whimsically.

"Rubbing Snape's bunions with no magic —"

"Shampooing Snape's greasy hair with no magic —"

"Which is useless, mind you, he runs away from soap faster than the snitch —"

"Alright, alright!" Flitwick chortled, and the twins' grins grew. Katrina had began to laugh at them, shaking her head and covering her eyes with her hands. "I'll see if I can't ease his punishment. Now off you get, go on! And," he said as they all stood to leave, "why don't you all take another cupcake? For good measure?"

The three of them smiled widely as Flitwick pushed the tin towards them. The twins each took one, but as Katrina grasped for another, it flew right out of her grasp and began to dance wildly on Flitwick's desk.

"Oh, dear me!" he laughed as he waved his wand a bit, "It seems this one wanted to do a little jig!"

Katrina and the boys laughed with Flitwick, who kindly levitated the cupcake into her hands.

"Thank you, Professor," Katrina smiled genuinely at her head of house, and he nodded.

"Any time, Miss Rhinehart."

And they left his office in a much happier mood than whence they came.

* * *

"Flitwick is definitely my new favorite teacher," George reasoned as they all piled into the Gryffindor common room. It was empty and completely silent besides the crackling of the fire.

"Because he gave you cake?" Katrina laughed as she sat on the couch, followed by a twin on each side.

"Yep!" George replied, sticking the last of his cupcake in his mouth triumphantly. Katrina rolled her eyes and slapped him lightly on the chest, causing him to nearly choke. She and Fred had a laughing fit as he spit half-chewed cake and frosting all over his robes.

George wiped his mouth sloppily before shaking off his robes, splattering his crumbs all over Katrina and his brother. They were all roaring madly now, covered in damp food and utterly joyful.

"Oh my god, though," Katrina chuckled, rubbing her cheek with the back of her hand, "It was such a rush! I felt like — like I was so _brave,_ standing in front of Snape like that!"

"You'd have to be!" Fred chortled, bumping her shoulder with his and causing her to giggle, "He's bloody horrendous! I'm willing to bet you could count every one of his greasy hairs with how close he got to you —"

Katrina shivered. "Don't even mention that!" she said lightly, smacking his shoulder. "It was a very horrible experience! I'll be having nightmares for _ages_ because of it!"

"Sounds about right," George laughed, and Katrina sighed, sinking back into the couch.

"I've got my first detention," she said sadly, and the twins began to slowly frown.

"It's not that bad," George shrugged, "really! You really _can_ use magic, you just have to make it look like you didn't."

"And we're going to be there right beside you the whole time!" Fred reasoned, stretching his arms over her shoulder and pulling her into him. Katrina shook her head with a laugh, but complied. George looked them over for a moment, smiling, before propping his legs up on the table. Fred followed and, deciding that she might as well, Katrina did the same.

She looked at their three pairs of feet for a moment, amused. Hers were noticeably smaller, but still rather large as she was quite tall for a girl. Not anywhere as tall as them (they were at least a foot above her current height), but still above average.

Katrina furrowed her brow.

"Where's Lee?" she asked, and the twins began to chuckle again.

"He stayed behind to torture Snape a bit more," Fred smirked, and Katrina shook her head again.

"What's he doing?" she raised an eyebrow at them both, and their grins widened.

"Setting off a few Dungbombs," George replied, and Katrina gasped again, slapping them both on the chest lightly. The three of them laughed, though, and leaned into each other for support.

"I suppose he'll be joining us soon, then? And for detention as well?"

"Probably," the twins answered, and Katrina grinned, staring up at the ceiling.

And then a thought flew into her mind that she would have never thought a year ago.

Maybe detention wasn't that bad after all.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER ELEVEN**

* * *

_Hello my name is WolfyToes and I really, really, really love Flitwick okay he's a total badass  
_

_but anyways, a really short chapter compared to the rest. Sorry! I just felt like enough happened for this chapter to be done uwu  
_

_Eheheh so Katrina got really mad, didn't she? Snape's riding her nerves pretty hard uwu" And the fact he was insulting Lupin didn't help. She's grown quite fond of him, you know uwu  
_

_Anyways, thank you for all the reviews, views, favorites, follows, et cetera since the beginning of _Innuendo_! ;u;  
_


	12. CONFIDENCE ISSUES AND THANKS

Lunch was probably the single most amazing moment in Katrina's life thus far. As everybody knows, word travels quickly in Hogwarts; When you spit in Professor Snape's face, you might as well have your name splattered over every conversation.

The Hufflepuffs had grins stretching over their faces. Slytherins were sending her livid glares (which, Katrina was surprised to note, made her extremely giddy). Gryffindors _applauded_ her. Even Katrina's fellow Ravenclaws, who more or less hardly looked in her general direction, were positively beaming.

Her good mood was ruined as Alphonse swooped down in front of her just as she took a seat with the twins, Lee, Angelina, Alicia, and Katie. Her smiled faltered slightly as she took the small note that was clenched in his beak. Unfolding it silently with the twins peering over each of her shoulders, she frowned.

Professor Trelawney was requesting her for a lesson, at that very moment, over Xylomancy.

Fred and George groaned.

"I've got to go," Katrina mumbled, folding the letter again and shoving it into her school bag. She petted Alphonse on the head in thanks, and he seemingly nodded before silently lifting off again.

"What is it?" Lee asked from his seat across from her, crestfallen. Katrina shook her head.

"Professor Trelawney is going to teach me how to read sticks," she replied, and her friends all gave her the same confused look. Sighing, Katrina stood from the table and grabbed and apple.

"I'll be back before next period," she said quietly, and they nodded solemnly. Katrina adjusted her bag on her shoulder a bit before turning and walking out of the Great Hall. Just as she passed the doors, she found herself face-to-face with Cora.

There was something about the blonde's expression that Katrina couldn't quite analyze. Was it pride? Surprise? She didn't have the time to think about it before Cora opened her mouth, and in a flurry, Katrina realized she was _angry._

"Sorry, Cora!" Katrina said quickly, flashing her friend a quick smile, "I've got to rush! Trelawney needs me!" And, without waiting for reply, she dashed off.

Regret was pouring through her veins again. Cora never got truly angry, specifically at Katrina. Yes, she might get aggravated or stern, but never _angry._

But why was she angry? Katrina had stood up for herself! _And_ for Lupin! And detention wasn't that horrible, was it? No, it was a simple punishment that hundreds of students were given every day, she was sure. So why did Cora have to be angry?

For a moment, Katrina allowed her skin to boil and her hair flare white. But then she stopped, abruptly, just as she faced the staircase leading up to the top of the North Tower.

She had gotten angry at Cora, just now.

Katrina frowned at herself, more disappointed than anything. Possibly a trifle depressed. Maybe the twins and Lee and everyone else was affecting her more than they ought to be. She shouldn't be so bold, or at least, not so quickly. Maybe she shouldn't be bold at all.

Sadly, she began to climb the steps. No, she really shouldn't be brash. Katrina was supposed to be the quiet, smart Ravenclaw that had no friends. She was supposed to blend in, to be invisible. But now, suddenly, everybody could see her. They knew her face, her hair, her used-to-be secret. Hell, she wouldn't be surprised if a group of first years ran up to her and asked her to turn into a banshee! Everybody knew. They weren't supposed to know just a few months ago.

Cora had been wrong. The twins didn't help her, not one little bit. They had publicized her, made Katrina a trophy of sorts. The one and only Hogwarts metamorphmagus of the year, able to change into anything, to be anything, and they were the ones who were closest to it. They even gloated about it to their bloody Head Boy of a brother!

Loosing any motivation to see Trelawney now, Katrina turned on her heel and sat down harshly on a step. Biting the apple dismally, she continued on her mental tirade.

She'd been foolish, hadn't she? Thinking she had made friends, thinking they were considerate. They saw her as an item. Katrina Rhinehart was not human, was not a witch of great potential, but a thing.

Yes, that was it. She was a thing.

Cora continued to be the only one that really cared. She was angry at Katrina because she saw she was getting far too engrossed in all of this false confidence.

Katrina pulled her knees to her chest again, forgetting her hunger. She just wanted to start over.

Couldn't she? Change her looks, stick to the Ravenclaws at all times, etc. If she didn't get in trouble and didn't answer the teachers' questions, then she would be as good as gold, wouldn't she?

_What in the name of bloody Merlin are you thinking, Trina?_

Katrina slapped her face so harshly she was sure Trelawney could hear it in her suffocating classroom.

Did she honestly think that? _Really?_ Did she not remember how Fred and George had left class just to make sure she was okay after her outburst? Did she not remember Lee staying behind to set of Dungbombs just to spite Snape? Or how the twins, Fred specifically, comforted her when Sirius Black had sneaked into the castle? How Katie, Alicia, and Angelina asked her (and Cora) to join them for a girls' day out at Hogsmeade? _Was she thick?_

Now Katrina was angry at herself.

She knew now what Cora meant on the train. She really did have confidence issues.

* * *

Xylomancy was incredibly easy. It was interesting, but hardly a challenge, as Trelawney had a book filled with all the information Katrina would ever need in it. She did enjoy it, though. It kept her depressing thoughts out of her mind.

Trelawney had "predicted" that Katrina was going to be in a bad mood when she arrived, so the professor was kind enough to make her a cup of tea. Afterward, she decided to read Katrina's tea leaves. What she discovered proved to be quite intriguing. Katrina made sure to take notes on what Trelawney said she saw so she would remember to look up their meanings later.

First, it was an anchor. Then she saw an apple tree, apparently filled with fruit and a beehive. A large branch; A Hollyhock flower; A ladder; A pheasant, and finally, many Violets. Trelawney nearly went on a rant with how amazing her future was, but insisted that Katrina was to find out what everything meant on her own.

Katrina came back to lunch earlier than she had expected. Cora had calmed down considerably after apparently blowing up at each of the boys in turn. The day returned to being happy. So happy, in fact, that even Double History of Magic was enjoyable (to a certain extent). She fell asleep on her desk beside George.

Dinner was mildly joyful. Gryffindors were walking by every once-in-a-while and thumping Katrina and the boys all on the back. Katrina, for once in her life, felt pride in herself. She had done something right — or something that certainly felt right to her. Even Alex and his friends came by to congratulate her. It was truly uplifting.

Just as Katrina and the boys started on the puddings, two large Barn Owls flew over their heads. They both dropped two letters each. The table seemed to frown in unison. Detention notices.

The twins and Lee opened theirs first, acting as if it was normal mail.

"Better than Howlers," Fred whispered to Katrina, and she smiled halfheartedly and ripped her own letter open.

She, and the rest of the boys, were to visit Snape's office immediately.

Saying their goodbyes (Katrina rather glumly), the boys and she left Katie, Cora, Alicia, Angelina, Oliver Wood, and a few other Gryffindors to their puddings and went down to the Dungeons, where Snape was waiting outside his office door.

"In," he seethed, pointing at the door. Fred and George comically bowed at Snape, ducking into the office quickly with Lee snickering behind. Katrina was quick to enter and kept her eyes on the stone floor.

"Your detentions will be . . ." Snape began, not bothering to close the door behind him and walking behind his desk, "polishing all of the trophies in the Trophy Room. _Without_ magic."

The boys groaned, but Katrina made to staring at all the jars filled with liquids and gels and the innards of who-knows-what.

"Follow me," Snape said, waltzing out the door. Slowly, the four of them followed him. The twins were whispering with Lee all the way up to the Trophy Room, but Katrina made sure to lag a little behind. She wasn't keen on being anywhere near Snape.

"I will be visiting you at random intervals," Snape said, motioning them all inside the Trophy room with his lips curled in a sadistic smirk. "Do try to keep yourselves from breathing on the trophies. We wouldn't want you to keep you from your beds, would we, Misters Weasley? You have a big game tomorrow. . . ."

And, with that, he slammed the door shut.

Fred, George, and Lee made no move to begin polishing. Awkwardly, Katrina shuffled in her spot, clasping her hands together and twisting them around, looking down at her feet.

"Is that it, then?" she asked quietly, and the boys faced her, confused.

"What do you mean?" Lee asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Well, he just sort of . . . pops in every once in a while?"

"Pretty much," the twins replied, picking up a small rag each and scowling.

"Why do they act like detention is so horrible, then?" Katrina faced them with her eyebrows knitted together. "This seems easier than writing lines, much easier. The professor is hardly in here at all!"

"Well, sometimes you get caught by Filch," George reasoned, rolling the rag around in his hands with a mischievous glint in his eye as he looked over at Lee.

"Yeah, Filch's detentions are the worst. Not because they're much different, but he tends to watch your every move —" Lee continued, but jumped up and clasped his arm as George slapped him with his cloth. "OW!"

Fred and George snickered, and Katrina hardly fought a laugh.

Lee, in a huff, grasped his own rag and swiftly began to slap George with it.

"How do you like that, huh?" Lee bellowed in laughter as George raised his arms over his face.

As George and Lee continued slapping each other harshly (and Fred eventually joining in), Katrina grabbed her own cloth and made to doing what she was supposed to do. Polishing trophies wasn't that bad, really.

Trophy after trophy she quickly buffered, looking them over only slightly interested. Here or there she would glance at a name and wonder just why somebody would name their child something so dreadful.

But then a particular trophy caught her eye. The name on its plate was oddly familiar, like it was a name she had been told of or read before. Something, somewhere in the back of Katrina's mind, was trying to scream at her that the name was significant.

"_OUCH!_"

Katrina jumped and turned swiftly to face Fred, who was grinning cheekily ear-to-ear and twisting his cloth between his hands. Any curiosity about the familiar name evaporated as Katrina gingerly rubbed her side, which Fred had slapped, and pouted.

"What was that for?" she asked, only half-serious. Fred's grin seemed to widen as he playfully smacked her shoulder, but nowhere near as hard as he had before.

"You're not supposed to actually _do_ detention in detention!" he replied, and then added as an afterthought, "Or not with us, anyways."

"Oh really?" Katrina laughed lightly, massaging her ribcage just a bit more before holding her hands behind her back, fingering her rag. "Then what am I supposed to do? Act like a buffoon?"

Fred raised his eyebrows and nodded his head around a bit, as if thinking whether or not she should really act like a buffoon. After a moment, his beaming smile returned, and he said, "Something like that."

Swiftly, before he could even process it, Katrina smacked Fred's face with her rag and burst into a fit of giggles at his dazed face. She didn't hit him hard, just enough to surprise him. After a few snickers from George and Lee, Fred's grin began to widen to such a size that Katrina thought his face was going to split in two.

He leaned forward, just enough for Katrina's giggles to catch in her throat, and whispered, "You never should have done that."

And a cloth war raged inside the Trophy Room that night.

Snape only poked his greasy nose in a few times, and somehow, George seemed to know five minutes before he entered the corridor. He would announce that Snape was on the way, and they would all get to work wiping down trophies as quickly as they could. Fred even charmed a few to polish themselves in a few seconds to make it seem like they had been polishing all along. Snape never suspected a thing. Or maybe he did and was just too tired to deal with them all. Either way, all of the trophies were polished by the time they were released from detention around eleven.

"Goodnight, love," the twins whispered as Katrina and the boys left for their common rooms.

"Night, K'Trina," Lee yawned lazily.

Giggling, Katrina replied, "Goodnight, boys. Good luck tomorrow!"

"Thanks," they all whispered, and then began their walk to Gryffindor Tower. Katrina turned on her heel, surprisingly giddy (though a bit tired) as she nearly marched her way up the spiral staircase and easily answered the Eagle Knocker's riddle. She was greeted with warm smiles and even a few grins inside the common room, and she found herself smiling widely back, all the way up to her dormitory where she fell soundly asleep on her soft, warm bed.

No, detention was nowhere as awful as everyone made it out to be. Especially when you were with the boys.

* * *

"This weather is _dreadful!_" Cora shouted over the howling winds as she and Katrina clambered around on the Quidditch stands. The rain had gotten so harsh over the night that they couldn't see the field at all. They were just barely able to hear the other screaming at them!

"_I know!_" Katrina bellowed back worriedly, "I wish they would delay the game until this rain lets up! I don't want Alex or any of them playing in this!"

"Agreed!"

"What?"

"_I said,"_ Cora repeated loudly, "_AGREED!"_

"Oh, sorry!"

Katrina made to angle her Umbrella against the wind, as it was about to be carried off and away by a rather large gust. They were hardly being shielded by the rain, but it was at least better than being soaked to the bone.

The ringing of a whistle sounded from what seemed like far away, and the girls knew that the game must have started. Squinting against wave after wave of pouring rain, Katrina tried to search for her brother's canary-yellow robes or for the ruby-red of the twins. She caught a blurry bit here or there, but trying to actually figure out who was who was useless.

As the remaining, cloudy light of the day grew darker in just a short half-hour, Katrina lost any hope in trying to decipher what Lee was saying. The storm was too harsh; she doubted any of the school knew what was going on.

There was a flash of lightning, and the girls jumped as they heard Madam Hooch's whistle again. It sounded like a time-out, by what Katrina could tell.

She sighed in relief. Maybe one of the captains were going to see about rescheduling. This was _ridiculous._

Cora leaned forward onto another Hufflepuff and asked (rather hoarsely, but loudly) what the score was.

"I don't know," the Hufflepuff replied with a frown, "but I'm pretty sure Gryffindor is in the lead!"

"Aw," Cora moaned quietly to herself with a pout, and Katrina laughed.

"At least they're not Slytherin?" she asked, and Cora smiled a bit as a gust of wind flew her blond hair over her face.

"I suppose," she replied, holding her hair behind her head with her hand and peering closely at the field as the game began again.

Thunder began to rumble in the distance, and lightning flashed across the sky again. Katrina frowned deeply. She was not going to be happy if her brother was fried during the first game of the season. Or Cedric, or Fred, or George, or Katie, Angelina, or Alicia. She wouldn't be happy if Madam Hooch was fried, for Merlin's sake! This game was _not safe!_ And this was _exactly_ the reason she wasn't as fond of Quidditch as others!

Suddenly, Cora and the other Hufflepuffs gasped. There, through the walls of pelting rain, was Cedric Diggory, chasing a golden blur. Katrina's breath caught in her throat as she saw Harry Potter begin to chase the Snitch too.

But that wasn't the only thing.

A familiar, desperate fogginess had taken a grip to Katrina's heartstrings. Though this time, it was much more powerful. Her lungs smashed against her chest, compressed, and she felt like she couldn't release the breath she had taken. The whole stadium was silent, and the wind was no longer howling, even though it was still buffeting every student and teacher all the same.

Dementors were floating around the field in one great, massive herd of black cloaks. They were like a cloud of shadow, hovering directly below Harry and Cedric.

The Dementors suddenly shot forward, swirling beneath Harry and raising their black heads, as if begging for him to leap into their mouths so they could suck his soul away.

And then he fell.

The icy despair that had taken residence in Katrina's heart because of the Dementors was nothing like the shattering, broken, depressing feeling now pressing through her whole body like a ten tonne brick. Cora was frightfully rigid, but Katrina slapped her hand over her mouth in a silent scream just as Dumbledore rushed onto the field. He waved his wand and suddenly, Harry seemed to have been sinking through a thick slab of jello. Another wave, and a bright burst of silver, almost taking the shape of a bird, slammed into the hundred Dementors and they swiftly fled out of the stadium.

And then, in a flurry, Cedric Diggory caught the Snitch.

* * *

Katrina paced worriedly a corridor away from the Hospital Wing, Cora shivering beside her. Harry had been moved there by Dumbledore on a stretcher of sorts, and ever since, the whole of the Gryffindor team and Harry's friends were inside, waiting for him to wake. That is, if he would wake.

There was a very real possibility that Harry Potter was dead.

Pacing more fervently, Katrina silently felt tears roll down her cheeks. She hadn't cried so much in a month than the last week, and it was bothering her a little. Just a little, though. She was much more worried about Harry.

Idly, in the back of her mind, Katrina thought about all the mud she was tracking and stomping in as she paced back and forth. Sooner or later, she was bound to slip on the stone floor, but she didn't care. Harry was her main concern.

"How long has he been in?" Cora asked in an odd, small voice that didn't suit her at all.

Katrina raised her arm jerkily and stared at her watch, and then cursed. "I don't know — bloody thing doesn't tell time."

Her hair had been red for quite a while now. It had changed just as Harry fell, and hadn't turned again since.

There was the sound of a door opening and closing, and then the clatter of feet. Heart raising into her throat, Katrina rushed past the corner, slipping a bit on mud but regaining her balance quickly. The whole Gryffindor Quidditch team, sans Oliver, was trudging along together, covered in mud and soaked to the bone. When they all saw Katrina and Cora behind her, they each gave them reassuring smiles. Katrina felt herself exhale breath she forgot she was holding.

"Oh, thank goodness," she heaved in relief, hastily wiping her cheeks and willing her hair to stop prickling and return to the familiar bright, bright blue (which it mercifully did).

"So he's alright, then?" Cora asked quietly as Angelina gave them both a bit of a bone-crushing hug.

"He's fine," Katie was shaking a bit, but seemed much calmer than when she had rushed in to see Harry.

"Just a bit ache-y is all," George breathed as Fred nodded from beside him.

"He's more worried about us loosing than him falling from fifty-something feet in the air," Fred chuckled, but Katrina frowned. He seemed awfully white under all the freckles and mud caking his face.

"Speaking of," George piped, walking over to Cora and lightly poking her shoulder, "aren't you supposed to be celebrating?"

She smiled a bit and shrugged, "I was worried."

George smiled and shook his head. "Go on, love," he said quietly to her, "Harry's fine, really. Don't miss out on the Diggory oaf spluttering nonsense and whatnot. I know how all you girls fawn over him."

Cora blushed a bit and nearly smacked his shoulder, but withdrew her hand quickly and straightened up. "I-I'll just be going then," she squeaked a bit, and George grinned as she rushed down the hall.

Katie, Alicia, and Angelina began to talk quietly to themselves, walking off to surely change out of their robes. Katrina stayed with the twins though, still frowning.

"Something wrong, love?" Fred asked as he walked up to her.

Katrina eyed his white face a bit, and her frown deepened. "Are you alright?" she asked quietly, hoping George was still distracted watching Cora pelt down the hallway. Fred knitted his eyebrows together.

"Yeah, why?"

"You're all white," she mumbled, wringing her hands together absentmindedly and still staring at his face. "And dirty, and muddy, and wet. Are you sure you're not sick?"

Fred's jaw seemed to set itself tightly and the color returned to his face so quickly and so fervently Katrina thought his whole body must have been red.

"Oh, and now you've got a fever!" she cried quietly just as George turned to face them, "I _knew_ the weather was too bad for a game today! You're sick!"

"I-I am not!" Fred quickly snapped defensively, "I was just worried about Harry!"

"Then why are you so red?" Katrina snapped back, and Fred seemed to only glow redder. George snickered quietly as he approached.

"You _are_ rather red, Fred," he stated matter-of-factly, "Positively _glowing,_ I'd say."

Just as Fred made to retort at his brother, Katrina decided to stop their quarreling before it began.

"_George!_" she scolded, "Your brother's sick! Stop fooling around, we have to take him back to Madam Pomfrey —"

Just as she made to grab Fred's arm, he quickly pulled it away.

"I'm not —" he began.

"He's not sick, Trina," George chuckled to himself almost sadistically, and Katrina gave him an odd look.

"Of course he is! Even his _ears_ are red!" she motioned wildly at Fred's scarlet ears.

George seemed to find this hilarious, as he began to laugh wildly.

"That's — him — blushing — you — twit!" he gasped between laughs, and Fred was turning the most brilliant shade of magenta. Katrina herself felt her face flush with blood and her scalp bubble and prickle uncomfortably.

"Why would he be _blushing_ though?" she said much quieter than she meant, and before George could answer, Fred swiftly took his twin's arm and whispered something harshly into his ears. Just barely, Katrina could hear Cora's name muttered along the lines of "after break."

George turned nearly as red as his brother.

"You wouldn't!" he cried, staring at Fred like he was a crazed madman.

Fred gave him a glare that clearly said, "Oh, you know I would."

Both twins then clenched their jaws together in silence, awkwardly glancing between each other and Katrina, who had begun to fidget and tangle her fingers together wildly.

Eventually, Fred and George's color returned to normal. Katrina was at least relieved to see that Fred wasn't white anymore.

The three of them slowly began to walk down the hallway, the twins sending each other glares that, after a while, receded into a bunch of comical mashed-up faces just to make Katrina laugh. By the time they reached the seventh floor corridor, she was grasping the stitches in her side and gasping for breath as Fred pulled his lips with his fingers and stuck his tongue out at George.

Once they entered the Gryffindor common room, though, the boys were quick to drop their silly faces and rush up to their dormitory to change. Swiftly over their shoulders, they said, "We'll be right back!" and disappeared climbing up the spiral staircase.

Even though most of the Gryffindors knew Katrina by now and were completely content with her in their common room (she was the one who talked back to Snape, after all), she still felt rather anxious by herself. Just as she sat on one of the sofas, wringing her fingers together, Lee came to her rescue.

"Katrina!" he said quickly, jumping up and nearly startling her as he sat down beside her. "Have you heard anything about Harry?"

"Yeah," she replied quickly, "Yeah, he's fine! Just a little jostled, the twins said."

"Oh, good!" Lee sighed a deep sigh of relief, leaning back into the couch. Katrina sighed with him and began to regret not changing after the match. She felt cold and wet and her hair was drenched and she was sure she was covered in mud nearly as much as everyone else was.

"What took you so long, though?" Lee asked thoughtfully after a few moments, and Katrina laughed quietly to herself. "Angelina, Alicia, and Katie showed up a long time ago."

"Fred looked ghastly after leaving the Hospital Wing," she explained quietly, "and I asked him if he felt well. He turned redder than his robes for some reason, and I freaked out because I thought he had a wicked fever or something. But then George saw, and he came up and said that Fred was blushing, and it sort of went downhill from there." She shrugged, but Lee had suddenly begun to grin.

"What?" Katrina asked, knitting her brow in confusion.

"Oh, nothing," Lee said in a sing-song voice, and Katrina frowned.

"No, really. What?"

"There you are, boys!" Lee suddenly shouted, hopping up from his seat and bounding over to the spiral staircase, where Fred and George had just emerged in a fresh set of robes. "I heard you had _quite_ the experience with Katrina, Fred —"

But Fred had stiffened considerably. George was snickering loudly with Lee as Fred grumbled something at them both and slouched over by Katrina, slumping in beside her and slinging his arm over her shoulder, mumbling something about "jealous, gossiping gits."

Katrina hardly noticed though, as Fred was warm and clean and not wet. She gratefully leaned into him, willing her tired, cold bones to warm up against him. The motion seemed to make him even more stiff, but she didn't mind. So long as he was warm, she was completely content.

"You're ruining my clean robes, love," he joked. Katrina, shocked at her own selfishness, made to move away and apologize, but was quickly stopped as Fred only squeezed her shoulder with a chuckle. He relaxed, sinking back into the sofa and taking Katrina with him just as George plopped down on her other side and Lee leaned over the back of the couch, still snickering.

"I wonder what Cora's doing," Katrina mused aloud, and the boys each gave her quizzical looks. "Well, I mean, what do the Hufflepuffs do when they celebrate? The Ravenclaws usually jump around a bit, clapping the team's back and everything, but that's about it."

Fred shrugged, causing his shoulder to lightly bump into Katrina's ear. "Dunno. They'll never beat our parties, though." He and George grinned as Lee rolled his eyes.

"What do you mean?" Katrina asked, staring at the fire thoughtfully.

"Well," George and Fred both propped their feet on the table, "Visit us next time we win, and we'll show you."

"I can't do that!" Katrina said, pulling away from Fred (who might have been the slightest bit disappointed) and twisting so she could look at the three of them, "It'd be like sitting at the Gryffindor table during one of the main feasts! I mean, visiting on any normal day is fine, I think, but when you're celebrating a _Gryffindor_ win?"

The boys all shrugged, and Lee asked, "Why not? We practically accept you as a Gryffindor now, anyways."

Even though he didn't know it, Lee's comment truly struck Katrina. Not in a bad way, not at all, but in a way that suddenly made her much more emotional than she should've been.

Katrina numbly turned back to Fred, leaning into him much more than before. She nearly had her face covered in his robes by the time he cautiously wrapped his arm around her shoulders again, glancing at George and Lee in confusion.

It took them all a minute or two to notice that she was crying.

"What's wrong, love?" Fred asked in an almost panicked voice, and then said more sternly to Lee, "What'd you say?"

"I don't know!" Lee exclaimed defensively as George worriedly patted Katrina on the back.

"No, no," she laughed as she dug herself deeper into Fred's shoulder and embracing him tightly, which made him stiffen at such a rate it was like he was made of stone. "I"m just — just — really _happy,_ sorry. . . ."

She hiccuped, and Fred seemed to relax again. Lee furrowed his eyebrows in thought and confusion as George lightly rubbed Katrina's back and Fred began to awkwardly rock a bit. She calmed down within the next five minutes, but still clung on to Fred for dear life.

"Thank you," she mumbled after a while, and Fred gave her a reassuring shoulder squeeze.

"What for, love?" Fred whispered back, and Katrina held him tighter.

"For being my friends," she said back, and the boys went silent.

"Not a problem, Trina," George said brightly after a few comfortable minutes, poking Katrina in the side an causing her the giggle again. "But there's a much more pressing matter at hand!"

"Oh really?" Fred asked back, raising an eyebrow, "And what might that be?"

George grinned. "When are you two gonna start snogging?"

Katrina squeaked, and she was quite sure that Fred had began blushing again.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER TWELVE**

* * *

_Oh my, talk about a long chapter! And is it just me, or is Katrina crying a lot? (Don't worry, she won't cry nearly as much as the story progresses ;u; )  
_

_anyways i totally needed more fluff so I put it in there because I can hahaHAHAH I love writing  
_

_Again, thanks for all the reviews and such! ouo  
_


	13. COOTIES

Katrina and Lee eventually visited Harry after lunch with the twins, where they talked to him a bit and tried to cheer him up. Apparently, his broom had flown off in the wind and was demolished by the Whomping Willow. But Fred was right; He didn't seem troubled at all by his fall. Maybe a bit by the Dementors, but near-death experiences must loose their shock after a while.

Sunday, Katrina took the time to sleep in (which she almost never did). The week had been hectic and emotionally confusing to her, so a nice rest all throughout the day — she nearly missed dinner — was welcome.

Monday proved to be refreshing. School was normal again, there were no threats of Sirius Black or Dementors or Fred randomly blushing over nonsense. It was completely the same as it had been most of the year, and Katrina was relieved, to say the least.

During lunch, Katrina suddenly became a ball full of nerves. Her stomach was rolling and she was feeling nauseous. She had to meet Professor Lupin today.

Snape had surely told Lupin of her outburst. Katrina knew she wasn't the only one who had gotten angry (the twins were talking about their brother, Ron, and Hermione doing something similar), but she was fairly certain she was the only one who had to be dismissed from the classroom.

Fred and George had tried to cheer her up by poking fun at her and Lupin's "tea parties", as they called them. They were saying that Lupin had found a soft spot in her if he wanted to have her visit every week, but Katrina wasn't so sure anymore. She may have stood up for him, but it was to a _teacher._ In all honesty, she wouldn't be surprised if he told her to not come by anymore.

Though her suspicion towards Snape had grown considerably. He had brought Lupin that potion just the last time she visited, and then last week he had fallen so ill Snape had to substitute for him. Maybe he really was trying to poison Lupin, like Cora said. Katrina wouldn't put it past him.

As she slowly walked to Lupin's office, that same, familiar bubbling sensation of regret seemed to occupy her stomach. She really should have kept hr mouth shut.

Katrina lightly knocked on his door, and somewhere in the back of her mind she might have wished that Lupin wouldn't reply. But no sooner than sh thought it came his feeble reply, "Come in."

When Katrina reluctantly opened the door and entered, she was incredibly relieved to see Professor Lupin brewing tea and shooting her a tired smile. Sighing deeply to herself, she closed the door behind her and quietly sat in the seat before his desk as he walked over with two cups in hand.

"I thought you'd visit me today," he said quietly, handing her one of the cups. Katrina smiled softly, guiltily, at her tea as she fingered the handle.

"I-I thought you'd still be sick on Saturday, specifically since the weather was so dreadful, so I thought today would suffice," she replied with a mumble, and Professor Lupin chuckled.

"Yes, Saturday wasn't my best day. . . ." he sighed a bit to himself and took a sip of his tea. Katrina gave him a curious glance.

He looked ghastly. His robes had already been loose-fitting, but now it was like they were just barely clinging onto Lupin. He was pale and there were huge shadows under his eyes. She frowned.

"Has — er," she stumbled for words a bit, placing her cup on the table and staring down at her lap as Lupin raised his eyebrows curiously, "What I mean is — uhm — well. . . . I-I mean to say — er — I know Professor Snape has been giving you potions, a-and I was wondering if — er —"

Professor Lupin chuckled, setting his own cup down and giving Katrina a fond, amused look. "You think Professor Snape has poisoned me?"

Clenching her jaw together, Katrina nodded. It sounded much more stupid when he said it aloud.

"No, no," Lupin laughed quietly to himself, "But he does seem the type, doesn't me? No, the potions he's been giving me are to help with a — er — _health predicament_ of mine. You see, just recently the potion has been invented and I'm not talented in potion-making whatsoever. Professor Snape was kind enough to do it for me."

"Oh," Katrina mumbled with a frown, "Sorry, Professor."

"It's quite alright, Katrina," Professor Lupin said kindly, picking up his cup again and taking a sip before continuing in a light tone, "I heard you and Professor Snape got into quite an argument last Friday?"

Katrina stiffened a bit and picked up her tea cup, rapidly fingering the handle again. "Y-yes, well — uhm — I was the one who actually argued. . . . Snape — I mean, excuse me, Professor Snape was trying to review werewolves, I think, and I thought he was simply choosing a random subject — w-which I'm sure he wasn't — a-and it made me a bit . . . livid. . . ."

"Werewolves, you say?" Lupin looked mildly interested. Maybe even a bit shocked, but that quickly subsided as he muttered something to himself.

"Yes," Katrina furrowed her brow, "He seemed oddly set on them. Didn't say we were reviewing or anything — though I'm sure that's what he was aiming to do. I wouldn't know," she began to whisper to herself, "I only missed most of the lesson. . . ."

"Why is that?" Lupin asked.

"Oh! Oh," Katrina shuffled a bit in her seat and took a small sip from her tea, "B-because I — uhm — I said that, w-with the way he w-was talking about you — more like insulting, really — that he must have a room ready for him at St. Mungo's. . . ."

Lupin's reaction was much different than Katrina had expected it to be. She thought he was going to be stern and scold her, but instead, he had begun to laugh.

"Oh my," he chuckled, "Yes, that would enrage him _quite_ a bit. Oh, dear. . . ." he shook his head, amused, and sipped the last of his tea. Katrina began to blush and shuffled around a bit more in her seat.

"But don't feel bad about the lesson, Katrina," Lupin said somewhat seriously after a few moments, "All my other classes have said the same. Professor Snape gave them all a lesson on Werewolves, even my first years."

"Really?" she was shocked, staring at Lupin with her eyebrows raised high on her head. "Why would he do that? It certainly wasn't a review for _first years!_"

"No, it wasn't," Lupin said quietly to himself, and the two of them sat in silence. Katrina was still confused, but Lupin seemed deep and thought and she figured she had been rude enough the past week.

For the next few minutes, Katrina sipped awkwardly at her tea as Lupin stared off into space.

"I heard another few interesting things from Professor Snape. . . ." he said suddenly, and Katrina jumped. "Apparently, the twins left right after you?"

Katrina nervously chuckled, setting her now-empty cup onto the desk. "Yes — ah — you could say they thought I made a valid point. . . . Or that they saw it as the perfect moment to skive class."

Lupin chuckled, "Yes, I think they would certainly jump at the opportunity. . . . And Lee set off Dungbombs?"

"Something along the lines of that, yeah," Katrina pushed a handful of her hair behind her ear with an apologetic smile.

"Well then," Lupin said as he stood, picking up their cups and moving over to a small counter on the far wall, "somebody certainly knows how to get rid of the smell."

"You're not going to . . ." Katrina began awkwardly, "scold us? Or anything?"

Lupin chuckled again and shook his head as he sat down. "No, no, I think your serving detention did that enough."

Katrina heaved another sigh of relief.

Lupin suddenly looked at his watch. "You've still got quite a while before lunch is over. Why don't you go and eat a bit before classes start again?"

"Oh," Katrina nearly jumped again as she realized just how hungry she was and smiled down at her lap, "Yeah, I think I might. Thank you for the tea, Professor."

"Anytime," Lupin nodded and smiled kindly as Katrina stood. "But next time, Katrina," he said just as she was about to open the door, and she looked at him, mildly surprised, "please try and keep your friends from setting Dungbombs in my classroom. They can be quite a mess, you know."

"I'll try, Professor Lupin," she found herself beginning to grin, "But no promises."

"I wouldn't expect anything more," Lupin chuckled, and Katrina left for the Great Hall.

* * *

"So what did Lupin want, Trina?" Fred cooed as she sat down beside him. Katrina smacked his arm playfully, resulting in him laughing before stuffing a hunk of ham into his mouth.

"He wanted me to tell you to stop setting Dungbombs in his classroom," Katrina said smartly, sending Lee a superior look. He only snickered.

"Can't promise anything, Trina," George said from her other side and she rolled her eyes.

"Funny, because that's _exactly_ what I told him!"

"Look at you," Fred said, muffled by the food he was spitting, "already so fond of us! It's touching."

"I'm sure," she laughed, nudging his shoulder as he swallowed whatever ham was left. "And don't talk with your mouth full!"

"You're not my mum," he stated matter-of-factly, raising his chin in the air as he dabbed his mouth with a napkin, resulting in Katrina giggling and Lee laughing rather loudly from across the table.

"No, and I'm glad that I'm not with how atrocious your attitudes are," Katrina retorted, and Fred and George mocked hurt looks.

"But Katrina!" George cried, "Wouldn't you rather have us than Percy?"

"According to your opinion on attitudes," Fred continued as Katrina grimaced, "he must be the most dapper prat around, what with how he sticks to the rule and always needs his foot shoved up his arse."

"No, no," Katrina shook her head quickly, "I'd much rather have you two than him."

The twins grinned at this, but Lee had begun to smirk.

"If you're officially their mum," he said, "wouldn't you be their other brothers'?"

"I don't mind Ron," Katrina shrugged, "Just Percy."

"No, not just Ron!" Lee snickered as the twins groaned.

"Then who?" she knitted her eyebrows together, thoroughly curious. Looking at Fred, she said, "You never told me you had other brothers!"

"And a sister," George corrected her. "Ginny's a Second Year. Our eldest brother, Bill, works for Gringotts —"

"While out second eldest," Fred continued, "is in Romania studying dragons."

"Dragons?" Katrina immediately bounced up, "Your brother studies dragons? Really?"

"Yeah," Fred and George chuckled, "Why?"

"Well," Katrina shuffled as she reached for a bit of ham. Fred quickly handed her a piece and she quietly thanked him before saying, "I've always loved dragons. They're really cool, you know."

"Charlie would love you, then," Fred grinned, and Katrina blushed a bit as she nibbled her ham.

"So how many Weasleys are there?" she asked after a while. Fred and George held up their fingers to count.

"Bill —" Fred started.

"Charlie —" George continued.

"Percy —" Fred scowled a bit.

"Me —"

"Me —"

"Ron —"

"And Ginny," they chorused. Katrina chortled a bit, counting on her own fingers.

"So that makes. . ." she paused for a moment as she counted, "seven of you? Seven?"

"Yep," the twins nodded, and Katrina raised her eyebrows.

"Goodness, that's a lot!"

"What about you?" Lee piped as he took a bite of a chicken leg, "Any other siblings?"

"Well," Katrina nodded, "I've got Alex, he's a Hufflepuff third year —"

"We scare the bullocks out of him," Fred snickered, and Katrina quickly slapped his arm again.

"Only because you exchanged his head for a pumpkin his first year!"

"Good times," he and George sighed. Katrina shook her head with a smile and continued.

""I've also got an even younger brother —"

"Do you?" George straightened up in his seat, clearly excited, "Does he go to Hogwarts?"

"_No,_" Katrina snapped playfully, "He's a baby! So you can't traumatize him like you did Alex!"

"Aw," the twins moaned as Katrina and Lee laughed lightly to themselves.

"Anyways," Katrina said quietly, "I've also got a cousin in her Fourth Year. Maybe you know her, she's a Gryffindor — Amberlynne Hiddlepot?"

The boys all snorted.

"What?"

"_Hiddlepot,_" Fred choked out, and Katrina swiftly smacked his arm again.

"Stop being so mean!" she laughed. Although, she did have to admit, it _was_ a funny name.

"Sorry, can't do that, love," Fred said as he lazily slung his arm over her, "It's part of _the charm._"

"Charm?" she chuckled back, pushing him off and pointing her fork (which held a small piece of ham) in his face. "What charm? I don't see any charm!"

"That's not what you said last night," Fred winked and Katrina gasped. In her surprised state, he was quick to latch his mouth on her fork and steal the piece of ham away.

Katrina nearly screeched as Lee and George went into a fit of laughter. "_Fred!_ Now I can't eat with my fork!"

"Yes you can!" he waved it off with a chuckle, "It's just a bit of spit, Katrina! Honestly, it's not like we've got _cooties_ or something!"

"And I already ate off of it, too! _You just ate off of a fork I used!_" she raged on. George and Lee only laughed harder.

"I used your spoon in the Leaky Cauldron and you didn't get anywhere near as miffed!" Fred retorted back shortly, and Katrina sucked in a sharp breath.

"Yes, but I hadn't used it yet! What if you get sick because of me now?"

"I won't get sick, Katrina!" Fred laughed, "It was just a bloody piece of ham! Merlin's beard, you'd think I snogged you or something!"

"You basically did!" Katrina felt herself laughing along with the boys as she shouted, "Snogging isn't far off!"

As Fred playfully waggled his eyebrows, Katrina quickly shook her head and placed her fork on the table, ripping up the rest of her ham with her fingers and eating it that way.

"You're flirting again," George sang quietly in her ear, and Katrina hardly kept herself from jumping.

"We are not!" she snapped quickly, laughing nervously and slapping his arm much like she had Fred's. "Y-your brother's just a perverted little prick is all!"

"All boys are perverted little pricks," George rolled his eyes. Fred leaned over Katrina's shoulder and pouted.

"What're you talking about without me?" he whined before Katrina laughed and shoved his face away with her hand. Lee rolled his eyes from across the table.

"Imagine how I feel all the bloody time!" he chortled as he stuck a crumpet into his mouth.

"Sorry, Lee," Katrina apologized with a smile, "These gits tend to hoard the conversations."

"We do not!" the twins yelled, but Katrina and Lee only laughed.

"Do too!" Katrina nudged them both playfully before sighing and eating a bit more of her ham. "It's alright though, we wouldn't want you any other way."

"You mean _you_ wouldn't want them any other way," Lee snorted as Fred and George each animatedly hugged Katrina and fawned their thanks.

"Oh, come off it, Lee!" Fred cried as he squeezed Katrina round the middle, "You're just jealous because the girl loves us!"

"Excuse you," Katrina chimed loudly with a grin, "but I would profess my love for Lee long before I would for you!"

Lee beamed at the twins as Fred sighed, pulling Katrina tight to him and thudding his cheek onto her head.

"You're in denial! How cute is that, George?"

"Very cute, Fred," George grinned as Katrina squirmed and laughed against his brother.

"Gerroff!" she roared, "Gerroff me! I want to _eat,_ for Merlin's sake!"

"You should've stayed with us rather than visit Lupin, then!" Fred grinned as he released Katrina, who might have been the slightest bit pink in the face.

"I promised him I would visit him last week and I never did," she replied curtly, picking an apple and a chicken leg from in front of her and beginning to eat eagerly. She really was quite hungry.

"Oh, so now you've got _dates,_ have you?" George snickered and Katrina nearly spit out all her food.

"No!" she choked as the boys cackled loudly, "_No,_ it's not like that! It's just some tea!"

"Sure, love," Fred grinned as he thumped her on the back, "Just a spot of tea is all! Nothing fishy _whatsoever!_"

After swallowing her food, Katrina stuck her tongue out at Fred, who complied by doing the same.

"Keep that up and he just might snog you," George snickered in Katrina's ear and she gasped, turning an slapping his shoulder as he rose his hands to cover his face.

"_George!_ That's not funny!"

"It is to me!" he laughed back, playfully swatting at her shoulder. Lee rolled his eyes from across the table. Eventually, the four of them got to devouring their lunch.

* * *

Before Katrina could really process it, November passed by in a flurry and a rain-drizzling December was in its place. Ravenclaw had flattened Hufflepuff (much to her glee) in the last Quidditch match, which also meant that Gryffindor still had a chance at winning the cup. This made the twins and Lee specifically ecstatic, though Cora was a bit sad about it all. She still made it clear that she was happy for both Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, though.

On one of the first weekends of December, Katrina had been walking to the Great Hall from her common room to find Cora. She ended up taking the wrong portrait to get to the Grand Staircase and ended up somewhere in the Dungeons, where she just happened upon the twins. They were snickering and whispering quietly to themselves when she approached, their backs to her, and didn't notice as she tip-toed behind them to try and eavesdrop. Just as she caught a glimpse of what they were planning, the fireworks they had prepared at the corner flew down the dungeon hallway and exploded above a group of Slytherins heading into their common room, where she was sure a few stray Filibuster's flew and caused a ruckus. Once Fred and George took notice of her, they made to quickly explain — and, surprisingly, apologize — for their behavior, and where baffled when she ended up pulling them into the portrait she had entered from and congratulating them heavily over how brilliant they were. To say the least, fireworks made her giddy.

By the time the second Hogsmeade trip had come around, Katrina had decided that she was going to go alone. For the first time, she had to buy presents not just for her family and Cora, but also for the boys, Katie, Alicia, and Angelina. Cora was reluctant at first, but she eventually complied, saying that she needed a good amount of time to buy her own Christmas stash. The twins and Lee had decided that, later that day, they were all going to visit Redrump and the others directly after Lunch. It was going to be a busy, busy day.

Katrina and Cora said their goodbyes, covered in scarves donning their house colors and other means of warm clothing, just as they entered Hogsmeade. Katrina immediately headed into Tomes and Scrolls, barely resisting her urge to buy every chocolate inside Honeydukes. She would save that for last.

Luck seemed to be on her side. Katrina left with three books for the twins — _Madcap Magic for Wacky Warlocks, Saucy Tricks for Tricky Sorts, _and for her own amusement, _Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches._

At Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop, Katrina found a dozen multicolored Fwooper quills she was sure Cora would adore. Spintwitches was where she bought three pairs of nice-looking, slightly expensive Chaser gloves for Katie, Alicia, and Angelina. Lee proved a bit difficult to buy for, but Katrina decided that a package of Dungbombs, Stink Pellets, and a Nose-Biting Teacup would suffice. For her father, a batch of Hiccough Sweets. Alex would get a copy of _Which Broomstick_. Her mother would get three packages of Fizzing Whizzbees (her favorite). And, suddenly, Katrina was done.

She decided to have a quick lunch at the Three Broomsticks. Katrina honestly didn't realize how cold she was until she stepped foot into the pub. As she gulped down her Butterbeer, she sighed in content. Somehow, she had gone through Hogsmeade without worry.

As Katrina paid her small bill to Madam Rosmerta, she thought over how she wouldn't have been able to do any of the shopping she had that day just a year ago. She would have clung to Cora's side the whole time. A glimmer of pride warmed her belly as she stepped out into the cold air. Already she was showing such personal growth!

But, of course, she wasn't the only thing showing growth. The snowfall that had been accumulating outside while she was eating had become a full-out blizzard. Shivering a bit, Katrina looked over the many heads of students and passerby to search for anyone familiar. After a minute or two and not noticing anyone of importance, she shrugged and headed back up to the castle to quickly stash her gifts away and join the boys and Cora for their final visit with the hippogriffs.

Climbing the spiral staircase proved to be quite difficult. Shuffling bags of books, Quidditch gear, practical jokes, and candy while climbing stair after stair was nearly like juggling three Bludgers. Katrina nearly dropped the Fizzing Whizzbees twice before she reached the Eagle Knocker.

"Is there a difference in being different?" it asked, voice ringing clearly like an elegant bell. Gasping for breath, Katrina thought wildly about the answer.

"No," she replied after a good three minutes, "To be completely different is to be exactly the same."

"Eloquently said," the knocker complimented before the door to the Ravenclaw common room swung open.

As Katrina heaved a sigh of relief and stepped in, she immediately recoiled.

"_What is that smell?_" she dryly retched to herself a bit. She was met with a fit of snickering.

As the door closed behind her with a soft _thud,_ Katrina looked about wildly around the common room. There, lounging on one of the elegant sofas, was Fred and George.

Katrina stiffened, staring at them both in wide-eyed surprise and mild curiosity.

"How did you get in?" she squeaked as the twins stood up, moseying over rather triumphantly.

"We answered the question, of course," George grinned. Katrina shook her head and quickly furrowed her brow, smiling.

"And what did the Knocker ask you, then?"

" '_How is a Raven like a Writing Desk?' _" Fred mimicked in a rather girly voice. Katrina fought a giggle.

"The answer was, of course, 'There's a B in both and an N in neither.' " George replied with a curt nod as Katrina contemplated the answer.

"_Oh,_" she replied after a moment and winked at George, "Quite clever."

"Don't act so surprised," the twins chorused as Katrina laughed airily.

"Why are you invading my common room then, boys?" she asked as she walked to the staircase leading to the girls' dormitories. "And I suppose the Dungbombs were to scare off any Ravenclaws?"

"We were curious," Fred beamed, "And yes. They ran off like we were the plague."

"And," George butted in, "we wanted to escort you to the forest. Well, _Fred_ wanted to. He dragged me along. Lee is supposed to be getting Cora."

"That's sweet," Katrina said over her shoulder before slowly climbing the steps, maneuvering her bags and boxes in her hands.

"It's what we're second best at, right after causing mischief!" Fred bellowed as he flopped onto another sofa. George approached the stairs, looking worriedly up at Katrina.

"Do you need any help, Trina?"

"_No!_" Katrina quickly turned on her heel to stare at him, shocked as she nearly toppled over. At George's bewildered face she said quickly, "I mean — sorry — but the minute you hit that fourth step, you'll turn the whole staircase into a slide. I _really_ don't want to fall on my bum with all of this." She motioned to her gifts and George chuckled.

"Ah, they're tricky."

"More like smart," Katrina blew George a quick raspberry before turning again and trudging up the stairs, "Wouldn't want one of you _perverted prats_ raiding our chests for our knickers, would we?"

"Damn," Fred called from his seat, "She's onto us, Georgie!"

"You'd better believe that I am, Freddie!" she called with a laugh as she finally found the door to her dormitory.

Katrina was quick to shove all her gifts into her chest at the foot of her bed. She was nearly tempted to look at her mirror, but quickly thought against it as she didn't want to keep Fred or George waiting — nor was she fond for essence of Dungbomb to seep into her room. Closing the door behind her with her foot, Katrina quickly jumped down the steps and crossed her hands behind her back, beaming at the twins.

"So, to the hippogriffs?" she asked, and the twins came up to her, offering a hand each.

"To the hippogriffs!"

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

* * *

_Well, to say the last, I am _really _excited for the next chapter. For reasons. You won't get a peep out of me, no sirree! o;_

_Also, I completely regret to tell you guys that I've never shown you the drawing(s) I have of Katrina. I would link it, but FF doesn't like that (which is completely understandable!) I suggest you go to the tumblr (which is basically just **dont-let-this-magic-die** right before you type **tumblr . com**) and look for it one there! c: It should be on the second page.  
_

_Of course, that's her in her seventh year. She gets taller, her hair gets longer, much more confident, etc etc. Boring stuff. uwu But now you can really get her hair color down in your heads? or something. I don't really know think what you want she's a metamorph for pete's sake uwu  
_


	14. FIREWORKS

Winter was probably Katrina's favorite season. She loved the cold nipping at her nose and the snow covering the ground. It was all very serene, very elegant. Even the Forbidden Forest, which was usually quite intimidating, had a peaceful disposition.

The paddock where the group met with the hippogriffs was generally well-guarded from the blizzard. Trees towered overhead and kept harsh winds from freezing their cheeks. Redrump, Katrina thought, looked marvelous against all the greyscale; His strawberry-roan coloring contrasted enough just to make him pop.

Copperclaw, Fred's hippogriff, was bounding around in the snow and cawing loudly. Darky, the black hippogriff George had decided to grow fond of, was standing and looking rather bored. Cora and Lee were petting Bronzefeather, who too popped out from the white with his chestnut coat enough to nearly glow. Katrina, however, was much more quiet than the others. She was patting Redrump solemnly, scratching his beak and neck feathers. By the looks he was giving her, he seemed to know this would be their last visit together.

"I'm gonna miss you," Katrina said sadly as she patted Redrump's cheek. The hippogriff nudged her cheek with his beak, squawking quietly. Abruptly, Katrina jumped forward and latched her arms around his feathered neck. Redrump seemed to jump, and she was sure she had surprised him. In all honesty, she had surprised herself. It was painfully obvious that she had grown too fond of him.

"Are you alright, Katrina?" Fred asked as Katrina slowly released Redrump, who shook his head with a snort.

"Yeah," she said with a small nod, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little sad is all."

Copperclaw bounced up to Fred, squawking indignantly and nudging his shoulder with her beak. Fred chuckled, patting the palomino on the head before walking up to Katrina.

"I think we all are," he said quietly, and Katrina nodded again. Fred looped his arm around her neck and placed his hand on her shoulder, shaking her lightly.

"Thanks," she laughed a bit as Redrump shot Fred a glare. Fred quickly removed himself from Katrina, raising his arms up defensively.

"Ease up, you great brute!" he chuckled at Redrump, who snorted again and took a step toward Katrina.

"I don't think he likes you being so close to me," Katrina giggled as she patted Redrump's shoulder.

"Protective little git," Fred muttered under his breath as Redrump made to snap at one of his arms. However, as Copperclaw came trotting by and nipped Fred's hair playfully, the hippogriff turned rigid.

As Redrump clucked to himself and turned his head sideways, Katrina whistled.

"I do believe my hippogriff has a crush on yours," she said to Fred, who rolled his eyes and scoffed.

"More like Copperclaw is _hot stuff._"

Katrina laughed so much she snorted.

"Just like me," Fred said arrogantly as he fixed the hat atop his head with a smirk.

"In your dreams, maybe!" Katrina giggled, slapping his arm.

"Ooh," he chirped. After looping his arm behind Katrina's back and pulling her into him, Fred grinned. Katrina gave a shocked squeak. "Aren't you _clever._ 'In your dreams!' Like I haven't heard that before!"

"Sh-shut up," Katrina's voice cracked, "Redrump'll bite you or something —"

"He's busy," Fred mumbled, glancing up from her face and to the hippogriffs. They had wandered off together, Copperclaw jumping around in the snow and squawking at Redrump to follow.

"B-but — but — but. . . ." Katrina began in a much quieter tone than she meant. Either Fred was leaning in or she was moving closer — or maybe even some weird combination of both. There was an odd bubbling sensation rising in her stomach and Katrina didn't know if it was pleasant or mortifying. Before she could contemplate it further, she was closing her eyes. And then, she reacted on instinct.

Katrina slapped her hand onto Fred's mouth.

The two of them stared at each other in silence for a while, both wide-eyed and surprised at Katrina's reaction. She opened her mouth and closed it again multiple times before croaking, "O-Oh my god, I am _so_ sorry!"

Removing her hand and placing them both over her eyes, Katrina shook her head and stuttered, "I-I didn't mean to do that! I'm sorry — oh — Merlin! — I didn't — I mean — I just — I-I — _Sorry!_ Oh my g-god —"

"You've gone purple again."

"I-I — I — what?"

Katrina slowly slid her hands down her face and to her sides, staring up at Fred, who had that expression again. The same one he had had the month before, when Katrina had woken up latched to his side.

"Your hair," he mumbled, and jumped forward.

She was dazed and confused and that bubbling feeling in her stomach had suddenly erupted like buzzing, blitzing, blasting fireworks. Her brain had shut off, unable to process thought or emotion, and her body went stiff as a board.

After a good ten or so seconds, Fred moved away half a millimeter and whispered cheekily, "I'm not gonna move till you kiss me back, love."

The movement of his lips against hers sparked an even greater bursting sensation, skyrocketing her brain over the moon.

"U-uh —" she stuttered dumbly, "h-how?"

Fred grinned, and Katrina swore she nearly saw stars. "Well," he mumbled, "first thing first — take off your gloves."

"Wh-what?" Katrina bumped her nose into his and blushed. His smile only widened.

"You heard me, take off your gloves!"

"U-uhm — alright then. . . ." Rather jerkily, Katrina slipped her gloves off her hands and into one of her coat pockets. Fred did the same, and grasped her fingers lightly. She took a sharp intake of breath.

"Good," he chuckled a bit, and Katrina fought a body-wracking shiver. "Now, put your hands here —" he raised her hands delicately to his neck, where she faintly realized how cool his skin was, "— right, and — uhm — I do this —" he quickly seemed to be loosing his train of thought as he carefully put a hand on her waist and another on her cheek.

Fred gingerly directed Katrina's face to her left, where their noses poked at each other's cheek. Their lips immediately connected.

"_Mmph,_" Fred hummed to himself quickly, moving that millimeter back again and furrowing his brow, as if trying to remember what he had been saying. "Th-then you — you just —" Together again, and then he pulled back to explain, "And you — sort of —"

But Katrina had finally caught on.

"Just. . . ." he breathed as they finally merged together. Their teeth clacked, their noses bumped, but it was nevertheless breathtaking. Fred eventually showed Katrina how to kiss less clumsily, lightly pressing her cheek and leading her in the right direction. She was getting restless, though; Her hands couldn't find anything to grab on his neck.

Her arms shot up and before either of them knew it, Katrina was grasping Fred's hat. She was pulling him forward, closer to her, and therefore deepening their kiss. She found herself lost and blank again.

Fred chuckled, sweeping his hand behind her hair and to the back of her head, where he pulled her into him.

"Here," he mumbled a few seconds later, taking his hand from her waist. Fred quickly shed his hat, stuffing it into the pocket holding his gloves. He took Katrina's hand in his and to his head, where she sucked a large, surprised breath.

At that moment, Katrina realized she loved to play with hair.

She shoved all of her fingers into Fred's hair, pulling him closer while also tangling strands around her pinkies and shoving his fringe roughly behind his ears. He chuckled again, much louder this time, and Katrina felt the breath from his nose hitting her cheek and immediately stinging it in the cold winter air.

They moved together a while longer, back and forth, back and forth. But, eventually, the human need to breathe arose and they both had to reluctantly pull away.

Katrina slowly wrapped her arms around Fred's neck, playing with the fringe along the his nape just as he lightly thudded his forehead on hers. The two of them were both breathing heavily, but Fred continued to laugh quietly to himself, eye closed and clearly content. Katrina was still in a daze.

"I sort of want to do that again," Fred mumbled, "but I'm afraid I won't be able to stop."

She was fairly sure that her hair had gone from pink to violet.

"_YOU OWE ME FIVE SICKLES!_" George bellowed from the other side of the paddock and making more than just the hippogriffs jump.

Katrina faced Cora, Lee, and George with the most bewildered face she could mange. She had completely forgot they were there. Cora was probably just as dazed — if not more — as she was, and Lee was grinning like a fool. George was shouting to himself about how he "_knew_ they were going to!" and the hippogriffs all seemed to be confused and mildly surprised.

Fred was giving his brother a glare that was on the verge of becoming a pout. Still speechless, Katrina opened her mouth and closed it like a fish out of water. Very slowly, Cora began to grin like a five-year-old at Christmas. She gave Katrina a pointed look that clearly said "I'm going to talk to you later."

Katrina groaned loudly.

This was not what she expected when she thought about her last visit with Redrump.

* * *

For the rest of the day, Katrina was sure to cling to the twins and Lee. Under no circumstances did she want to be alone with Cora, because she knew exactly what she was going to ask; Everything. How she and Fred met, what Fred had said, how it had felt, what was it like, and so on. She hardly knew herself just what had happened and she did not want to go into detail about such a confusing thought.

By the time curfew came around, Katrina had decided that Fred and her definitely had no feelings for each other. The kiss was nice — quite nice, actually — but surely he didn't _like_ her. Nobody _liked_ her. They may be her friend or acquaintance or something-or-other, but there was absolutely, positively, _no way_ that somebody could _like-like_ her.

Now, Katrina was perfectly fine with wanting to kiss Fred, wanting to hug him, wanting to hold his hand or play with his hair. But she couldn't possibly like him like that. She didn't know _how_ to like somebody like that, so clearly she was just enjoying the physical contact. And, again, he was clearly enjoying it, too.

That was that.

The next morning was incredibly hectic. Katrina quickly stuffed her things into her charmed suitcase and rushed down with the rest of her house to the Entrance Hall, where the majority of the school was to head back home for the end of term.

Cora latched onto her arm immediately.

"We're getting a compartment to ourselves," she whispered in Katrina's ear, who frowned deeply.

"But then we won't see the twins or Lee until the end of break!" she whined quickly, hoping Cora to ease up. She didn't.

"Stop complaining, you can always write them!" Cora snapped back, "Besides, I'm sure Fred is going to send you a _fabulous_ Christmas present —"

Katrina groaned. This was what the _whole train ride home_ was going to be like, and she knew it.

Cora made sure that she and Katrina were one of the firsts to board the train. The two of them quickly huddled into the first empty compartment they found and Cora slammed the door shut, sitting down quickly and beaming excitedly at Katrina.

They both sat there, silent for a good seven seconds before Cora squealed to herself.

"Oh, Katrina! Your _first kiss!_"

Katrina groaned again and massaged her temples.

"And it was with _Fred,_ no less! Oh, I _knew_ he liked you —"

"He _does not_ like me, Cora," Katrina grumbled, but Cora bounded on.

"He was always flirting with you and calling you 'love' and always comforting you — did you not see how he held you hand on Halloween? What am I saying, of course you saw it! It was _your_ hand!"

"Cora, really, it's not like —"

"And he's been giving you those _looks,_ too! I bet you haven't noticed them, boys always look at the girl when they're not looking, that's common sense, but _still!_ Fred's been flirting with you an awful lot too, hasn't he?"

"Looks? What looks?"

"Oh, I _knew_ it! You don't see them! That's _so_ —"

The compartment door slid open again. Katrina breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Fred.

"Morning, ladies," he began with a grin. But, just as he made to walk in, George was quick to snatch his arm and lead him down the train.

"Bye, ladies!" Lee called from behind them, closing the compartment shut again.

Katrina never though she'd groan so many times in a single morning.

They were doing the same thing with Fred.

"As I was saying," Cora said slowly, cocking a brow and looking at Katrina, "It's _obvious_ that he really likes you —"

"Cora," Katrina spat, "By the way you're explaining things, you must think George is head-over-arse for you!"

Suddenly, Cora shut her mouth and turned a brilliant shade of red.

Katrina gasped.

"_You like him!_" she bellowed, grinning wider than she thought she ever would. "_You like George Weasley!_"

"Well," Cora shuffled a bit in her seat as she mumbled, "m-maybe a little. . . ."

"Oh, it's more than a little!" Katrina barked, "It's a _lot!_ You're redder than a beet!"

"C-come off it!" Cora squeaked, "At least I haven't snogged him yet!"

"_Yet,_" Katrina snickered. Cora sucked in a sharp breath before continuing.

"So," she said calmly after clasping her hands together in her lap and putting on a wry smile, "How did you meet?"

"I told you when we got on the train before term started," Katrina said shortly, "We bumped into each other on Diagon Alley. Actually, it might have been George —"

"So it was _love at first sight!_" Cora squealed again, and Katrina sighed heavily to herself.

The compartment door slid open again. Katrina's head shot up as she desperately hoped for the boys again.

But then she frowned. It was Katie, Angelina, and Alicia.

"Mind if we ride with you two?" Angelina asked with her hands on her hips.

Cora seemed to be debating with herself. After a moment, she said, "Yes, yes, come in! But close the door behind you!"

"No, don't tell them —" Katrina began, but the girls had already shuffled in and Katie had slid the compartment door shut again.

"What is it?" Alicia asked, starry-eyed in curiosity.

Cora sucked in a deep breath.

"_No_ —" Katrina started.

"Fred snogged Katrina yesterday!" Cora blurted, and the train lurched.

The girls were quick to take their seats and stare between Cora and Katina.

"He _snogged_ you?" Katie grinned. Katrina silently nodded.

"He hasn't snogged a girl since the beginning of fourth year," Angelina mumbled to Alicia and Cora, who also had wide smiles on their faces, "And I only know that because it was me!"

"Was it good?" Alicia chirped. Katrina quickly shrank into her seat.

"You should've seen them!" Cora sighed. All the girls quickly looked at her, surprised.

"You were there?" Katie asked, and Cora quickly nodded.

"Yeah, and so were George and Lee! They were _really_ cute! Fred was showing her how to kiss and everything —"

"Was it your first?" Angelina gasped, and Katrina silently nodded her head again.

"_That is so cute!_" the girls screeched together and Katrina, once again, groaned.

She quickly stood up. There was no way she was going to deal with the four of them all the way back to London.

"I'm going to go — er —" she looked over the girls, who seemed nearly ready to pounce if she didn't have a good enough excuse, "find Fred! Yeah! I might be back at some point!"

Swiftly, Katrina rushed out of the compartment and closed the door shut. She was not coming back any time soon.

Just as she turned, Katrina nearly rammed her face into somebody's shoulder.

"Oh — sorry!" she mumbled quickly, taking a step back and rubbing her nose with her hand.

"_Thank Merlin!_" Fred breathed and Katrina nearly jumped as she looked up at him. "I was just coming to get you! When the door opened I thought it was going to be Cora or something!"

"Let's go," Katrina said quickly, grabbing his arm and leading him down the cart, "Your Quidditch mates decided to pop in to bother me further and I _do not_ want to hear their squealing!"

Fred grimaced and followed eagerly. The two of them were well down the train car by the time they found another empty compartment.

"Ladies first," Fred said as he opened the door. Katrina gave him a polite thank-you before entering and sitting down, moving a thick piece of blue hair behind her ear. Fred quietly closed the door behind him and plopped down beside her, slinging his arm over her shoulders comfortably.

"I can only imagine what the girls are going on about," he snickered. Katrina moaned loudly and thudded her head onto his shoulder.

"Every cliché you can possibly think of," she replied.

"Well, that's better than hearing Lee and George gloat," Fred rolled his eyes, "They keep trying to have me bet things like whether or not I'll shag you by the end of the year."

Katrina choked and Fred hardly stifled his laugh.

"Y-you wouldn't!" she cried and Fred shook his head with a grin.

"No, no, I only do that to the girls who kiss me back," he winked. Katrina felt herself stiffen.

"I-I did too kiss you back!" she croaked.

"Oh, so you want me to shag you now?"

"No!"

"Then why would you care?"

"Oh, hush!" she mumbled. Fred chuckled and squeezed her shoulder.

"Only joking, love," he said, twirling a bit of her hair between his fingers, "You just had to be shown a couple pointers is all."

" 'A couple'," she snorted to herself, "Right. More like you had to show me the whole bloody snogging process step-by-step."

Fred shrugged, sliding Katrina's head down lower on his chest. "Not really. You got the hang of it pretty well, you just had to be shown a few of the basics. Caught on rather quick, actually. Suppose that's the Ravenclaw coming out, eh?"

"Something like that," she laughed quietly.

Fred and Katrina sat in comfortable silence as they passed the many mountains surrounding Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.

"Fred?" Katrina asked.

"Hm?" Fred grunted in reply.

"Who was your first kiss?" she asked quietly. Fred chuckled again.

"Ah — second year," he sighed reminiscently to himself, "Amberlynne Hiddlepot."

"_No!_" Katrina gasped, removing herself from him enough to catch his cheeky expression.

"Oh, yes," he chortled, "I have a thing for you Rhineharts, don't I? Wasn't my best choice, though, I have to admit."

"She never told me!" Katrina cried in laughter, "Bloody twit never said she had even been kissed before! Oh, that's _rich!_"

"What's rich?" Fred laughed back, "Is snogging me some sort of joke?"

"Well, considering how you joke about everything," Katrina answered smartly, "then yes, I'd say it is."

"_Oh,_" Fred said with a smirk, "Then I suppose you're ready for another joke, then?"

"What?" she squeaked and Fred laughed again.

"Might as well get used to it," he said and waggled his eyebrows, "I don't think I'm going to leave you be for a long while now."

Just as Katrina was about to reply, Fred quickly locked lips with her. It was a very kind kiss, simple and calming. The fireworks erupted in her stomach again, and as if it was a habit, Katrina raised her hand and began to thumb at the open zipper of his jacket.

"Trying to undress me now, are you?" Fred asked comically as he pulled away. Katrina quickly blushed and recoiled, returning her hand to her lap where she began to wring it with the other.

"N-no," she said quietly and Fred shook his head with a smile.

"You do that a lot, you know," he said after a moment. Katrina gave him an odd look. "Mess with you hands, I mean. You've always got to be doing something with them!"

"Do I?" she asked, pulling her hands apart and sitting on them rather worriedly, "Do I really?"

"It's not a bad thing!" Fred laughed, tugging a bit on her arm, "Just a bit of a nervous tick."

"Well, I certainly get nervous enough," Katrina mumbled. Fred raised a brow questioningly. "I-I mean, n-not that I — that I'm nervous around _you_ o-or —"

He shrugged again. "It's alright to be nervous. A bit _wimpy,_" he snickered lightheartedly, "but it's alright."

"Wimpy!" Katrina snorted, "I am _not_ wimpy!"

"No, not at all," Fred replied sarcastically with a playful roll of his eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Katrina laughed as she softly hit his chest with the back of her hand.

"Nothing," he said with a grin.

"You cheeky little bastard," she said, and Fred waggled his eyebrows again.

"Ooh, I love it when you curse," he joked.

"Call me a right tosser then," Katrina countered with a giggle.

"I will once you call me a wanker," Fred retorted, making a rather rude hand gesture. Katrina gasped, feigning shock by covering her mouth with her hand.

"How _rude!_" she laughed. Fred grinned and wriggled a bit in his seat, raising his chin triumphantly.

"A word of wisdom, love," he said condescendingly, "don't ever get in an argument with the king himself!"

"King of what?" Katrina snickered, "Arseholes?"

"That was low!" Fred bellowed flamboyantly.

"How low, exactly?" Katrina screeched back, "Because if it's anywhere near your IQ level then I'll know I struck a nerve!"

"_Oh, you'll pay for that, Rhinehart!"_ Fred growled as he lunged forward, knocking a giggling Katrina onto her back and wrestling with her playfully.

"Tell me, Weasley, when the Healers saw that it was in the negatives, what did they tell your parents?" she snorted loudly as Fred poked her ribs multiple times.

"On the contrary, _Rhinehart,_ they said I was a genius!"

"If you're a genius, then I'm a Muggle!"

"With your insight on snogging, I'd say you were one!"

Katrina shakily gasped, "_That was low!_"

"How low, exactly?" Fred mocked, "Because if it's anywhere near your IQ level then I'll know I struck a nerve!"

"I'll — I'll —" Katrina laughed wildly as Fred pinched her sides, "I'll suffocate you — you — i-in your sleep!"

"Death threats already, Katrina?" Fred smirked, "I haven't even seen your —"

As he whispered the rest in her ear, Katrina howled with laughter. Fred Weasley was going to be the death of her.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

* * *

_I _told_ you I was excited for this chapter uwu"_

_Also ahah I like to pretend I actually know how british people curse/insult one another but I don't actually hahAH sorry ;u;  
_


	15. THE PURPLE HOWLER

"Fred."

He grunted.

"_Fred._"

He grunted again.

"_Fred!"_

"What?" Fred grumbled.

"I — can't — _breathe!_"

"Well you're breathing now, aren't you?"

"You're crushing me!"

"Then turn into a troll or something and crush me back."

"But then I'll rip my clothes!"

"I won't complain."

"_You're horrible!_"

"What, have you stopped cursing? Too bad, I liked it when you did."

"Oh, put a sock in it!"

Katrina wriggled from under Fred, getting absolutely nowhere. Apparently being a Beater meant having an iron grip and weighing nearly two tonnes.

"Nope," Fred replied, squeezing her tighter around the middle. He was currently sprawled out on top of Katrina, head shoved into her neck. To him, it was some sort of expression of endearment. To Katrina, it was more of a compromising position.

"We'll be in London in just a few minutes!" she heaved, but Fred stayed put.

"Then you'll be surviving for those few minutes. What kind of shampoo do you use? It smells wonderful."

"If you don't get off of me," Katrina replied dangerously, "I will tell my father how you snogged me and he will have his foot farther up your arse than —"

"_Fine,_ Merlin!" Fred grumbled, ungracefully rolling over and thudding loudly onto the floor with a groan.

"Smooth," Katrina remarked as she sat up again, sore and finally able to take even breaths.

"Oh, shut up," he grunted, pushing himself up into a sitting position and rubbing his back tenderly.

"I need to get my luggage before the trains tops," Katrina mumbled mostly to herself, but Fred clearly heard as he began to complain.

"We have to face those gits _again?_"

"Yes," she laughed quietly, "Unless you want to go home without your clothes and things?"

Fred grumbled curses under his breath as he and Katrina stood, bracing themselves for either the pokes and prods of the boys or the squealing and nosiness of the girls.

* * *

"Mum! Dad!" Katrina yelled as she rushed up to her father, grasping him in a quick but tight hug. He had gratefully returned to normal since their last conversation — Mr. Rhinehart's hair was a bright lime-green and his face nearly glowed with joy. After quickly embracing her mother, Katrina faced them both with a wide smile.

"Wotcher! Has everything been alright at school?" Mr. Rhinehart asked in a happy tone. She knew, however, that he was quite serious.

"Yes Daddy," she told him shortly, "Everything is under control. No need to worry!"

"I'm going to worry anyways," he chuckled back, ruffling her hair lightly.

"You've gone blue!" Mrs. Rhinehart exclaimed, pushing her husband away playfully and taking a handful of her daughter's hair.

"Oh, yeah," Katrina laughed, "Fred recommended it."

"Fred?" Her parents chorused, and she grinned.

"One of the Gryffindors I told you I was sitting with, Dad. He and his brother and their Quidditch mates, plus Lee —"

"She's made _friends_ this year!" Alex shouted as he bounded up to his parents with a smirk, giving them both a quick hug. "Can you believe it?"

"Is that so?" Mrs. Rhinehart asked, clearly interested.

"That's brilliant!" Mr. Rhinehart chimed, "More presents!"

"Robert!" Mrs. Rhinehart laughed, slapping her husband lightly on the chest. After a few more moments of amused chuckling, she faced Katrina with a wide smile. "Why don't you introduce us, then?"

Katrina quickly frowned and shook her head fervently. "Oh, no! That won't be necessary!"

"What do you mean?" Her mother replied, furrowing her eyebrows together in confusion. Alex smirked.

"Because all the girls are going crazy over —"

"_Nothing!_" Katrina quickly intervened, "Absolutely nothing!" Nervously laughing as Mr. and Mrs. Rhinehart shared odd glances, she punched her brother on the arm and growled from the side of her mouth, "_How did you know about that?_"

"I bumped into Cora," he grinned cheekily.

"I am going to brutally maim her," Katrina grumbled as Alex laughed loudly.

"Alright then," Mr. Rhinehart said slowly, "Shall we apparate out?"

"I believe we shall," Mrs. Rhinehart replied, holding out her hand for Alex to grab. "Meet you at home then, love?"

"Meet you at home," Mr. Rhinehart smiled as Katrina slid her fingers around his wrist.

There was a suffocating, squeezing sensation pushing onto Katrina as her father turned, smashing her body tightly against invisible compressed walls. And then, in a swift cracking sound, it was gone. She was home.

The familiar scents of the house she had lived in since birth wafted her nose and immediately filled her with some sort of odd, nostalgic sense of security. The walls were covered in mismatched wallpaper and the room itself was filled with multitudes of differently-colored sofas, armchairs, and couches. On the far wall a fireplace was crackling loudly with life, and everything seemed to be decorated in alarmingly bright tinsel and other Christmas decorations.

Suddenly, she realized something — the whole living room seemed to distantly mimic the Gryffindor common room.

After another loud crack, Mrs. Rhinehart and Alex were standing beside the rest of the family. Alex and Katrina's father made to laze around as she went up and put her things away in her bedroom, which was completely white and decorated solely by a few Ravenclaw drapes hanging from the ceiling.

As Katrina softly placed her briefcase and empty owl cage onto her white bed, she sighed happily. It was nice, not having the stress of school or studying or the boys wreaking havoc pressed down onto her. There was a certain calm about being home that completely relaxed her.

Sitting down on her bed, Katrina looked around. Her bedroom would be moderately sized if it wasn't for her "nook", as she liked to call it. Directly adjacent to her bed was a rounded, secluded little room surrounded by windows. A blue bench curved around the wall, housing many books of different sizes and widths under it. And, at the window, was a huge Great Grey Owl.

"Alphonse!" she cried happily, rushing over to the window and sliding it open. Alphonse glided inside effortlessly, resting on the plush pillows that cushioned the bench and cooing softly at Katrina. He nipped her fingers affectionately as she scratched behind his head with a wide smile, "I was getting worried! When I saw you weren't at the owlery, I figured you had gone on some weird hunting trip. But you were flying home, weren't you?"

Alphonse chortled softly in response.

"You clever little owl," Katrina laughed, scratching the feathers at his wing joints. "Tell you what," she said quietly, "I'll set up your cage with a few owl treats and some water. How does that sound?"

The owl hooted excitedly, ruffling his feathers and hopping around a bit. Laughing again, Katrina patted his head a couple of times before returning to her bed and picking up the owl cage, placing it delicately on an elegant, thin sort of stand. Hooking the cage to the curve at the top, she set the cage into place and opened the door so that Alphonse could get inside.

"I'll be back in a moment!" she told him, rushing out her bedroom door and down the stairs to the kitchen, where her mother was preparing dinner in an antique-looking stove.

"Mum, where've you put the owl treats?" Katrina asked as she quickly filled a cup with water at the sink.

"Oh, is Alphonse back?" Mrs. Rhinehart asked, waving her wand over a pan of sizzling ham.

"Yes, he just showed up at my window."

"They're in the cupboard beside the silverware," Mrs. Rhinehart nodded as Katrina slid the drawer open a seized the box of treats.

"Thanks, Mum!"

"Oh, and Katrina," her mother said just before Katrina was outside the kitchen, "Did you say your friends were Gryffindors?"

Turning to face Mrs. Rhinehart, Katrina knitted her brow together. "Yeah, why?"

Mrs. Rhinehart shrugged. "No real reason," she said, "It's just that . . . well, you remind me a lot of myself, you know."

"Thanks," Katrina replied sincerely, "But what does that have to do with my friends being Gryffindors?"

"Your father," Mrs. Rhinehart chuckled, "When I was in my seventh year, he took a liking of me, I suppose, and practically forced me to befriend all of his Gryffindor mates. Not that I minded, of course, but it certainly made my last year at Hogwarts memorable."

There was a certain sparkle in Katrina's mother's eyes that confused her to no end. As Mrs. Rhinehart charmed a couple salt and pepper shakers to season the food in her pot, she said, "I know, Professor Lupin told me."

"Lupin?" Mrs. Rhinehart looked over her shoulder at her daughter, eyebrows raised, "As in Remus Lupin?"

"Yes, he's our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Katrina explained, "I've been having weekly chats with him over tea."

"Well, that's certainly nice of him," Mrs. Rhinehart smiled as she began to mash potatoes in a bowl, but suddenly stopped. "He was very close friends with Sirius Black, you know —"

"Yes, Mum, I know," Katrina laughed a little to herself, "I already practically erupted in his office. He told me that there was no way he'd help Black into the castle, Mum, even if they did used to be friends."

"Good." Mrs. Rhinehart breathed out a relieved sigh and then said, "Why don't you go and give Alphonse that water, then? I'm sure he's parched after flying all the way from Hogwarts."

"Oh, right!" Katrina smiled as she turned to leave again. Just barely, she heard her mother remark while angrily smashing potatoes, "I am going to _kill_ your father — I've been wondering where that mirror's been for weeks!"

Oh, it was good to be home.

* * *

Christmas came so quickly to the Rhineharts that is was like no time had passed at all. Relative after relative arrived on Christmas Eve, including both pairs of Grandparents and even Katrina's aunt and cousin. Granny and Grandpa Rhinehart were settled snugly into one of the guest bedrooms while Nana and Popa Welsh took the other. Aunt Sylvianne took a couch in the living room while Amberlynne was bunked with Katrina. She had been sure to talk to her about her apparent escapade with Fred her first year.

"_What?_" Amber had replied, completely shocked and her jaw nearly hanging down to the floor, "How did you know? _Nobody was supposed to know!_"

"Why not?" Katrina had asked.

"_Because,_" Amber replied hotly, "I snogged _Fred Weasley!_ He was known for the trouble he made! Do you know how much the other girls would make fun of me?"

Katrina had merely shrugged.

The whole family woke bright and early on Christmas day, huddling together in the living room by the fire and brightly-decorated tree. Nana and Popa Welsh seemed specifically interested in Mr. Rhinehart and Katrina's metamorphosing abilities (like they always were when they met — they were Muggles, after all) rather than the baubles hanging on the Christmas Tree that changed color every minute or the radio in the corner that was faintly screaming the Wicked Sisters' new holiday album. Mr. Rhinehart had turned himself into a human-sized monkey by the time everyone decided to open presents.

Amberlynne, Katrina, and Alex each sat in front of the Christmas Tree, legs crossed and beaming happily at the presents Grandpa Rhinehart was handing out. Katrina's first gift as rectangular and thick, apparently from Katie.

As each of the kids ripped into their presents eagerly, Alex grinned as he pulled out a Broomstick Polishing Kit and Amber gasped, holding up a chain necklace with a glowing "_A"_ charm. Katrina smiled widely at the Magic Storybook Katie had given her; It would read popular children's stories from authors like Beedle the Bard aloud.

The adults were next. Each of the grandparents got knitted hats and mittens from Aunt Syl, while she herself got a self-brewing tea kettle. Mr. Rhinehart had bought his wife an intricate ring, while she had gotten him a bag of (apparently very expensive) Filibuster Fireworks.

On and on went the gift-opening. Katrina eventually had a package of Deluxe Sugar Quills from Lee, a positively enormous amount of chocolate from Cora, _Merpeople: A Comprehensive Guide to Their Language and __Customs_ by Dylan Marwood from Angelina, and _Blood Brothers: My Life Amongst the Vampires_ by Eldred Worple from Alicia. George had jokingly sent her the books _Flying for the Broomstick Impaired _along with _From Egg to Inferno: A Dragon Keeper's Guide,_ while Fred given her both _Fowl or Foul? A Study of Hippogriff Brutality_ and _Men Who Love Dragons Too Much._ It was a little more than touching.

Alex was admiring a little moving figure Cedric had sent him of one of the Chasers from the Montrose Magpies while Amber admired a set of bracelets one of her friends had given her. The adults were all chatting happily, and Mr. Rhinehart proudly turned his head into a dragon's just as a loud clatter was heard from the kitchen.

"Oh!" Mrs. Rhinehart exclaimed, "That's probably the post! I wonder if the _Prophet_ sent out another paper. . . ."

She rushed off into the kitchen, returning a moment later with a rather battered, tired owl hanging from her arm and a bright purple letter in the other.

"It's for you, Katrina," she said quietly as she handed the letter to Katrina, worriedly petting the owl. Curious, Katrina turned the letter around in her hands before she was sure her face became void of color.

It was a Howler.

"Oh my god," she mumbled, wide-eyed and not daring to open it. "I-I — what do I —?"

"Open it!" Mr. Rhinehart said quickly, "Before it blows up!"

"Blows up?" Popa Welsh began as Katrina shakily open the bright purple envelope, "What do you mean —"

"_I SNOGGED KATRINA RHINEHART!_"

Katrina dropped the Howler and stared at it, jumping and watching as it sat open on the floor. The whole room was silent as it continued in a much cheekier and quieter voice (though it still rang through the living room rather loudly).

"Sorry, love," said Fred's casual voice, "but I had to tell your family somehow. It was in that book your sent George and I — the one about how to 'charm witches', I believe. And I quote," the letter seemed to cough importantly and mimicked in a high voice, " _'A proper wizard should always be honest and respectful to the witch's family and gain their trust.'_ Once I read it, I decided, to heck with it all, why not? Of course, I could've told them a multiple of other less-embarrassing ways, but what would be the fun in that? Merry Christmas!"

And, with that, the Howler burst into flames, leaving a pile of ashes on the floor.

Katrina didn't move or look away from the Howler's remains. The whole room was silent, until Mr. Rhinehart decided to comment.

"So," he said, and Katrina snapped his head to face him. With a wide, mocking grin, he asked, "Was it good?"

Immediately, it was like her whole body was boiling in suffocating embarrassment. Katrina was sure her hair was the most vivid violet possible as she felt her scalp prickle and her back straighten to a nearly inhuman angle.

"I am going to my room," she choked out eventually as Alex snickered from behind her, "And if you disturb me I will personally chop your head off and hang it on my wall."

And, with that, she jerkily gathered all her things and ran into her room.

There were many minutes where Katrina paced back and forth on her wooden floor, running her hand through her hair and occasionally muttering threats under her breath. After hearing a rather loud burst of laughter from downstairs (which she was sure was about her), she found herself not embarrassed, but incredibly angry.

"A Howler!" she exclaimed loudly to herself and Alphonse (who had been snoozing up until this point), "A Purple Howler! _Why_ would he send me a Purple Howler? Why couldn't he just send me a White Howler — those at least don't shout! Merlin's knickers I — I swear to god if I had a Red Howler I would shoot it up his arse _so far_ —"

There was a knock. Katrina quickly turned to the door and nearly began to shout before she realized the was an owl at her window.

All the anger inside of her immediately leaked out and was replaced with confusion. Walking over to the window and opening it, she beckoned the owl inside. It snorted rather proudly, though, and dropped a letter onto her lap before flying away again.

"Well then," she muttered to herself, closing the window again as she sat cross-legged on her bench. Opening the envelope without thinking about even reading the address, she slipped out a slightly-sloppy letter.

_Dear, dear Katrina,_

_ I really do hope you read this no matter how angry you are at me. I had to steal Percy's owl just to send it to you, since there was no way Errol would get back to us on time. Actually, I'm a bit worried if Errol will get to your house at all. Ruddy moron, he is._

_ Right, right, the point. I just wanted to say sorry about the Howler, since I know you're probably (scratch that — _most definitely_) furious about it and at me. And rightfully so, might I add! I had a stroke of genius, you see, so, as you know, that meant I had to make somebody angry._

_ Also, I really did need to gloat. George had already heard enough of my bragging about you and Lee's out of the question, since he's off visiting relatives in Australia and there is no possible way Errol could get even halfway there. So, I decided, why not gloat to your family? They already know how brilliant you are, so surely they'd take my liking of you with open arms. Specifically your father. I was telling my dad about you just the other day and he said that he knew your pops rather well, considering they both work for the Ministry (to a certain extent. Your dad's an Auror, right?). Says he's a jolly fellow that would enjoy George's and my antics. I'm generally quite sure he won't put his foot in my arse._

_ With much love,_

_ Fred_

Katrina laughed besides herself. She stood and migrated to her white writing desk, which was a built-in on the main part of her bedroom and connected to a window that looked out over fields and trees in the distance. Dipping her quill into her Colour-Change Ink, she scribbled onto a piece of parchment:

_Dear Fred Weasley,_

_ You are a complete twit. You know how I would feel when you flattered me and that's exactly the reason why you put it into your letter, isn't it? I swear to Merlin the next time I see you I will hug you so hard your brains (if you even have any) will pour out your ears. Stupid wanker._

_ I'm still furious,_

_ Katrina_

Of course, she was joking. Katrina fondly placed her letter into an envelope and labeled it "To Fred Weasley, the Great Git" before giving it to Alphonse and opening one of her windows again, which he silently glided out of. She was just about to bung Fred's letter into the waste bin when she noticed that the envelope still felt a bit heavy. Curiously, she pried it open and found a small, scribbled note;

_P.S., if your father actually _is_ furious by the time we're introduced, I would be forever grateful and owe you a thousand foot rubs if you said I was George._

She snorted. Shoving the note into her desk drawer (so that she'd have it in writing should she ever need it), she quickly threw the rest of the letter away and headed down for breakfast. Her mother had always been an impeccable chef.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

* * *

_Just as a pointer, I've gathered that there are many different types of Howlers from the Harry Potter Wiki. It's not exactly canon, but it's sort of implied! So let's just say a "Purple Howler" is basically a cheeky, sassy version of the regular angry Howler we know and love.  
_

_ALSO on the Tumblr, there's going to be images where the letters should be. That was you can see the fonts I've picked out for Fred and Katrina's signatures! Just saying uwu  
_


	16. PHOTO SHOOT

Christmas Break continued on more or less . . . naturally. Mr. and Mrs. Rhinehart seemed completely unbothered by Fred's Howler (though Alex made to poke fun at Katrina for it here or there) and the rest of the family piled out as soon as they had shuffled in. Many hours a day, Katrina would sit in her nook and read one of the books she had received during the holiday. Many more hours a day, she would rush back and forth between windows and writing desk in rushes to reply to a flurry of letters from the twins, Cora, Lee (who had returned from Australia just before New Year's Eve), and the girls. She was even sent a scroll of parchment from Percy, who sent it with the same pompous owl Fred had apparently swiped. It was a formal apology for being such a prick back during the beginning of school. Being the unreasonably accepting person she was, Katrina quickly sent him a thank you in reply with a quill as a small, late Christmas gift.

And then, for good measure, she was sure to send notes to Fred and George to never tell Percy it was an Augurey feather and that it would forever repel ink. With that, the third eldest of the Weasley family was thoroughly forgiven.

One particular day, Katrina picked up _Flying for the Broomstick Impaired_ and began to flip through its pages with an amused grin. However, once she began to really read the printed words rather than skim, she found it oddly informative. Although she knew a book was nothing like true, real-life experience, Katrina could at least realize that her old grip was horribly wrong.

After a good twenty minutes, Katrina placed the book onto the cushion beside her and leaned back onto one of the many windows. Today was the last day of the year.

Snorting lightly to herself, she pushed a handful of blue hair out of her face. The familiarity of 1994 was ending, and now she would have to get used to the ringing of 1995 and scratching out the incorrect dates she wrote on her papers when she returned to Hogwarts.

Katrina grinned. No matter how stressing school could be, there was always a portion of her heart that would live there, she thought.

_Tap, tap, tap!_

If she hadn't been accustomed to the rapping of beaks on her windows, Katrina would have jumped. Instead, her grin widened as she turned in her seat and faced a Screech Owl, flapping silently and staring back at her. Quickly sliding the window open, she watched as the owl dropped a decently-sized package onto her bench, seemingly gave her a curt nod, and flew off again.

Not even bothering to shut the window again, Katrina picked up the package and sat cross-legged on her plush seat and read the small note attached.

_Katrina,_

_ Sorry about sending it so late, I meant for it to be a gift on Christmas but I happened to have a hard time charming it. It has a cartridge that won't run out of film. I also added in a small batch of Developing Solution and the recipe to brew your own._

_ Sincerely,_

_Moony_

For a moment, Katrina was puzzled. She didn't know anyone named or nicknamed Moony, so who could have possibly sent her a gift? There were a few seconds where she mentally fought with herself over opening the package or not — it was quite plainly a camera by how the letter was worded, but what if it was cursed? Then again, she thought, who would want to curse her?

Ripping the package open before she could fight with herself further, she smiled down at the old camera and moderately-sized bottle of Developing Solution. It was a smidgeon ironic; one of her last chats with Professor Lupin had consisted of a long chat about how they enjoyed photographs and portraits. Maybe this Moony person had been paying close attention to her.

Shrugging away any and all paranoid thoughts that popped into her brain, Katrina picked up the camera and began to fiddle with the tiny silver doodads and levers and knobs surrounding it, shivering slightly by the open window. With sudden inspiration, Katrina turned and leaned the most of her torso onto the windowsill, embracing the chilly biting of the winter on her exposed skin and raising the camera to one of her eyes, squinting the other.

In her opinion, it was a perfect shot as she pressed the button and the camera made a clicking shutter sound. The sun was barely setting in the distance, pasting the white fields and treetops golden and slightly pink. She was lucky enough to have caught a batch of birds in flight just as she had taken the photo.

In a flash, Katrina ran off to her cauldron (which was conveniently placed on her writing desk) with the Developing Solution and camera in hand. Carefully, she extracted the photograph she had taken from the film cartridge and placed it on the bottom of her pewter cauldron, pouring just enough solution over it to cover the film and have plenty more for later. Katrina left the bottle and camera on the desk and held her cauldron to her chest, moving carefully to a door not too far away from her bed.

Seeing as Katrina's room was far from extravagant, her closet would surely be the same. Probably just a simple box, about the size of a room cupboard. But as she opened the door, she was met with the same milky-black as her briefcase. Stepping inside without a second thought, Katrina carefully placed the cauldron on a chest she knew was sitting on a wall beside her by heart rather than sight. She knew by books, of course, how to develop wizard photographs. It was incredibly easy, really — you just soak in a dark room and then let them dry.

Dinner proved to be absolutely amazing. Mrs. Rhinehart was very keen on the camera Katrina had brought along, commenting on how the charm used on the cartridge was specifically tricky on smaller objects. Katrina snapped a few pictures of her parents and her brother, and after dinner, Mr. Rhinehart decided to take the whole family outside and shoot off all of his Filibuster Fireworks he was given for Christmas. Katrina got a few pictures of them, too, and even a bit of night scenery as midnight crept closer.

Mrs. Rhinehart conjured a decorated table as the moon rose higher and higher in the sky, and Mr. Rhinehart proved to be very skilled in persuading fairies into floating balls. Alex mumbled a few things about the Muggles in Wheathampstead, the nearby town, seeing all the commotion, but Mr. Rhinehart quickly hushed him as he went into detail of all the work he and his wife had done earlier in the morning by reinforcing many old Muggle-repelling charms.

Katrina snapped a dozen more pictures as their family was surrounded by owls just as the large grandfather clock from somewhere inside the house audibly screamed "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" A few letters plopped into Katrina's lap as her camera clicked and clicked merrily. She was sure Alphonse had just finished delivering all the letters she had given him earlier that day.

Ripping the first letter open eagerly (and biting her lip to keep her teeth from chattering), Katrina read:

_Dear Katrina,_

_ Happy New Year! I can't wait to meet up with you again at Platform 9¾. Don't worry, I won't bother or pester you about Fred — he sent me a letter telling me that he had sent a Purple Howler for your whole family to hear his confession. Interestingly enough, he also told me to hold you securely should you show signs of hostility once we see him. I'll be sure to give you a clear shot._

_ By the way, a new foal was born just a couple of days ago! That's why I haven't been writing, sorry. We named him Artie._

_ Miss you,_

_ Cora C._

Katrina laughed a bit as she placed the letter on the table and moved to the next one. It was a very simple note from Alicia. She had similar letters from Angelina, Katie, and Lee. As she got to Fred and George's envelope, she began to grin. George's letter said:

_Sweet Katrina,_

_ Happy New Year and all that great stuff! You should've seen Percy a day or so ago when he got your letter, he was all anxious (Fred and I had given him a good talking to, you see, which basically means we threatened to rig his whole room with Dungbombs) and everything. It was hilarious. Then he tried to use that Augurey feather you sent him and was sure that his owl had somehow ruined it during the return flight. We've been sure to tell Ginny and Ron that it repels ink, too — I'm pretty sure Ginny has a liking of you now. We'll have to introduce you sometime._

_ Kisses and stuff,_

_ George_

Laughing again, she turned to Fred's letter.

_Darling Katrina,_

_ Happy new year and all that great stuff. Percy was really relieved when he got your letter — probably because George and I threatened to rig his room with Dungbombs. Either way, he got pretty mad at his owl for "ruining his nice new quill" — to say the least, George and I had to leave the room. Don't worry though, he didn't rant around for too long._

_ I'm going to be eagerly awaiting you to pounce at the Platform. I expect my genius brain to melt and ooze out of my ears by the hug you give me, so don't let me down!_

_ Love,_

_ Fred_

Katrina hardly stifled snickers. She had forgotten the hug she had threat-promised him on Christmas. Folding all of her letters together, Katrina stood up with the rest of her family and wished them all goodnight and Happy New Year. Mr. and Mrs. Rhinehart kissed both their children on the cheek ("For good luck!" Mr. Rhinehart chimed) before they settled into the kitchen for a romantic night with plenty of wine, Katrina was sure. She, however, was exhausted, and fell asleep the minute her head hit the pillow.

* * *

"Are you going to introduce us to your boyfriend?" Mr. Rhinehart sniggered as he adjusted his tie.

"He is _not_ my boyfriend!" Katrina seethed, slumping her shoulders as she searched exasperatedly through the crowd of students and parents that crowded Platform 9¾. Cora was supposed to meet her, but the flighty broad hadn't thought about _where_ exactly.

"So he just kissed you and left it at that?" Mr. Rhinehart laughed.

"Sound familiar?" Mrs. Rhinehart said smartly, grinning as her husband pouted.

"I asked you out _eventually,_" he whined.

"Yes, during our eightieth detention together. We were nearly graduated!"

"But that was the plan!" Mr. Rhinehart cried, "I hooked you in so I wouldn't loose your pretty face after we graduated!"

"By the time we graduated I had you fit around my little finger," Mrs. Rhinehart stuck her tongue out at Mr. Rhinehart, whose slipped out his bottom lip comically.

"_Mum,_" Alex groaned, swinging his arms around limply at his sides as if to express how much their teasing disgusted him.

Katrina, however, wasn't paying attention. She had wandered off because she briefly caught a glimpse of Cora's hair. But, as quickly as it had come, she was lost in the crowd again. Grumbling curses under her breath, Katrina turned around and around on the heel of her foot, peering over hundreds of heads.

At last, she found something familiar. But it wasn't the blond-haired Cora, no, it was a massive mound of red.

Grinning widely, Katrina slowly crept to the group of Weasleys. The twins noticeably stuck out, they were the tallest of the group. Percy was conversing with a man Katrina was sure was his father, and Mrs. Weasley was talking to another redheaded girl that she figured was Ginny, the youngest of the batch.

Just as Katrina silently slipped behind one of the twins (she had no idea which) and placed her briefcase onto the ground, the girl caught her eye. Ginny gave her an odd look, but she placed her finger to her lips and gave a wink. Immediately, it was like the younger sister understood, as she smiled widely and turned back to her mother, who was shoving a handful of homemade treats into her hands.

Katrina quickly slipped her arms around the twin's waist, linking them together as he jumped and raised his arms. Looking over his shoulder, he grinned as he caught sight of Katrina, who was beaming right back.

"Katrina!" he called, "We've been wondering where you've been!"

"Which one are you?" she laughed, standing on her tip-toes to tap her chin onto his shoulder. The twin chuckled and gave her a wink.

"If I said I was Fred, would I get a brain-numbing hug?"

Katrina scrunched up her face in thought. "Maybe."

"Call me Fred then!" George laughed, turning around and clasping his arms around Katrina's shoulders tightly, forcing her roughly into his chest and petting her hair with a mocking, dreamy sigh.

"George," she laughed, voice muffled by his knitted sweater, "_George!_ I can't breathe!"

"You're breathing now, aren't you?" George retorted, giving her head a bit of a heavy thump before releasing her with a wider grin than before. "Won't be for long, though."

"Wh—" Katrina began, but was swiftly silenced by a hand slapping over her mouth from behind and another sliding around her middle. Squealing jovially, she made to squirm against Fred as he placed a quick kiss on her temple, failing horribly.

"Payback for the day in the paddock," he said snootily as Katrina fought to pry his hand off her mouth. Just as she was getting to peeling Fred's fingers away one by one, he abruptly stepped back and left her gasping and giggling for breath. At this point, all of the Weasleys were looking them over either confused or greatly amused (George and Ginny had their arms crossed, clearly entertained).

As Katrina turned and faced Fred, he smirked and held his arms out, beckoning with a few waves of his hands. She nearly began to snort at his triumphant, questionable expression before shaking her head and slinging her arms around his neck.

Apparently, Fred had been hunched over, as when he straightened up again the tips of Katrina's shoes just barely kicked on the cobblestone ground. This only made her laugh more, and Fred sighed, thudding his chin onto her shoulder.

"If I didn't know any better," George chimed, "I'd say you missed each other!"

"Me? Miss this old git?" Katrina mocked a laugh, "When Muggles play Quidditch!"

"My brains aren't leaking yet," Fred said in a deep, neanderthal-like voice that made Katrina snort loudly.

"That's because you don't have any!" she remarked and Fred pouted, digging his chin into her shoulder.

"Do too," he grumbled childishly as Katrina began to squirm again. Ginny was fighting snickers as Percy and his parents shared odd, confused glances. George shrugged with a smile.

"Oh!" Mr. Weasley said suddenly, "You're Robert's daughter, aren't you?"

"Ye— ah . . ." Katrina made to move away from Fred, but he grumbled something and squeezed her waist. Chuckling a bit, she said quietly, "Gerroff, you great twit!" Fred reluctantly mumbled a few curses under his breath and let go of her.

Once Katrina was safely back on the ground, she wiped her skirt a bit self-consciously and faced Mr. Weasley with an apologetic smile. "Yes, I'm Katrina Rhinehart. It's nice to meet you!" she shook his hand quickly and Mr. Weasley nodded, smiling widely.

"It took me a moment, but once your hair went green I realized it must have been you," he chuckled, but Katrina distractedly pulled a hunk of hair to her face so she could see the bright green coloring replace itself with purple.

"Oh," she laughed a small, embarrassed laugh, "It does that. . . ."

"You should see her when she's surprised," George snickered.

"_Bright pink,_" Fred sniggered beside him, wiggling his fingers for effect.

"Oh, be quiet, you two!" Mrs. Weasley scolded, moving over to Katrina and patting her shoulder comfortingly. "I'm sure you've bothered Katrina enough last semester! They're not acting too terribly, I hope?"

As Mrs. Weasley turned to Katrina, she quickly shook her head. "Oh, no! Wonderful, really."

"Is that so?" Mrs. Weasley raised a puzzled brow and looked between Katrina and the twins.

"To me, at least," Katrina quickly added. Mrs. Weasley nodded quickly.

"Yes, yes, that makes much more sense," she said as Fred and George rolled their eyes.

"Please, Mum!" Fred said.

"We've hardly done anything this year!" George continued. Mrs. Weasley tsked briskly.

"I'd bet my right knitting needle before I believed any of your nonsense," she said shortly, "You've started plenty of trouble already. You're just sneaky enough not to get caught!"

"Sneaky," Fred shrugged, "Or we're just smart."

"_Smart,_" Katrina found herself scoffing, "You needed help on a paper for _Broderick the Barmy!_"

"Oi!" George cried, "That's History of Magic! It's different!"

"Sure it is," Katrina rolled her eyes as Fred and George stuck their tongues out at her. She did the same, earning an amused chuckle from Mr. Weasley.

"Arthur!"

Katrina jumped and whirled around as her father and mother walked up, Mr. Rhinehart waving at Mr. Weasley, who waved back.

"Robert! Come meet the family!" he said and the Rhineharts quickly obliged.

"Can't stay long," Mr. Rhinehart winked, "I've got to find this boyfriend of Katrina's here."

"_Dad,_" she groaned, "He's _not_ my boyfriend!"

"I could be," Fred said in a playful mock of defiance.

"_Be quiet,_" Katrina snapped.

"_Oh,_" said Mr. Rhinehart as his wife giggled quietly to herself, "He's one of your boys, is he, Arthur? Which one, then?"

"That's Fred," Mr. Weasley chuckled, but as Fred and George swiftly swapped places and then back again, he furrowed his brow. "Or maybe that's George, I don't know — one of them."

Mr. Rhinehart also chuckled, but it had a much darker undertone. He approached the two boys, whose grins faded in the blink of an eye and were replaced by very nervous smiles. Fred had even begun to turn white.

"Ah, so it's one of you, is it?" he asked ominously, and the twins gulped.

"It's him!" each of them shouted, pointing at the other.

"_Me?_" George asked, "It's _you,_ you git!"

"Shut up," Fred said quickly, glancing up at Mr. Rhinehart nervously.

"Let me tell you a secret, boys," Mr. Rhinehart said, placing a heavy hand on both of their shoulders. As he leaned in, the twins made to lean back but were pulled back by his hands.

Suddenly, Mr. Rhinehart cracked a wide, bright grin. "She's _extremely_ ticklish behind her right ear."

"_Dad!_" Katrina shrieked as the twins looked at Mr. Rhinehart like he was part troll. But then they too were suddenly grinning and glancing over at Katrina, clearly mapping out a plan between those brilliant minds of theirs.

Katrina subconsciously rubbed behind her right ear, feeling the blood rush to her cheeks. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, along with Percy and Ginny, were clearly utterly confused.

"A-anyways," Katrina quickly choked, "we've got to get onto the train!" She swiftly picked up her briefcase and took Alphonse and his cage from her mother's hand, kissing her cheek as she chimed shrilly, "See you on Easter! Be safe!"

And she darted onto the train.

"Katrina!" Lee beamed as she nearly ran right into him, "We've been looking for you! Cora's got a compartment a few doors down —"

"Oh, thank Merlin!" she gasped, giving Lee a quick hug and running off to find Cora, shouting over her shoulder, "If the twins come looking for me, tell them Alex pulled me in with him!"

"Uh," Lee cocked an eyebrow, "Okay?"

Katrina slammed the compartment door closed behind her, pulling down the blinds as Cora shot up from her seat. When she turned around to breathe a sigh of relief, the wind was immediately knocked out of her by Cora's bone-crushing hug.

"Oof," Katrina squeaked as Cora squealed quietly, bouncing around and in turn squeezing Katrina harder.

"I've missed you!" she screeched, finally releasing Katrina and clapping her hands together enthusiastically.

"It's only been two weeks!" Katrina wheezed, nearly doubled over as she heavily flopped into a seat, setting Alphonse and her briefcase onto the floor rather ungracefully.

"But I haven't seen you in those two weeks!" Cora whined, "Usually we visit each other over the summer, but during breaks we never _ever_ get to leave our houses!"

"Well, we haven't exactly asked to, have we?" Katrina grumbled. Cora seemed to think this over, mumbling plans to herself about visiting the Rhineharts over Easter Break. As the door slid open again, she went silent.

"Hello ladies," George waggled an eyebrow at them both and Katrina groaned. "Don't worry, Trina, I'm not here to tickle your ear — Cora, would you mind?" He motioned out into the corridor just as the train lurched forward.

"Not at all," Cora said slowly, sharing a confused glance with Katrina. She shrugged and walked out with George.

Just as she thought she was going to get some peace, Katrina found her luck snuffing out again. Fred entered the room with a sly grin and shut the compartment door behind them.

"Noooooooooooo," Katrina moaned, kicking her feet stubbornly from her seat but not bothering to stand. Fred chuckled, offering her a hand up.

As she eyed it suspiciously, he said, "My brains haven't melted."

"Do I _have_ to?" Katrina grouched.

"Yes," Fred chirped, "Unless you want me to try out your ticklish spot?"

"No!" Katrina replied quickly, slapping her hand over her right ear in wide-eyed fear.

"Then embrace me like you've found your true love!" Fred exclaimed dramatically, grasping her arm and pulling her up and into him. "Which you have, by the way. You're really quite lucky."

"Call me blessed," Katrina mumbled against his chest as Fred petted her hair much like George had done.

Sighing a deep, dreamy sigh, he said, "Look at you, Trina! With a man like me, you've got quite the romantic adventure! I'm dashing, brave, witty, a genius, handsome, sexy, charming, funny —"

"A wanker," Katrina butted in with a snicker. Fred gasped, pressing her head into his chest and muffling her giggles.

"Katrina! Such language!" he breathed.

"I thought you liked it when I cursed?" Katrina grinned as she raised her head and dug her chin into his chest.

"I do," Fred winked, "Very arousing."

"Okay, okay," Katrina laughed, pushing him off of her, "That's enough arousal for one morning, I think."

She gave his chest a couple of pats as he pouted and mumbled something along the lines of "Never enough arousal." Chuckling, Katrina turned back and carefully picked up Alphonse and his cage, placing him onto the luggage rack. When she reached for her briefcase, Fred quickly intervened and grabbed it instead.

"Allow me," he said in a deep, important voice. Laughing a little again, Katrina cocked an eyebrow.

"Alright," she said slowly, "But be careful, you'll —"

Fred launched the briefcase onto the luggage rack, wincing with Katrina as the clattering of multiple objects falling onto another resonated from it.

"— break something," Katrina finished dully.

"What do you _have_ in there?" Fred asked for a moment, reaching up for the briefcase again.

"Everything," Katrina shrugged. "Oh! That reminds me!"

She swiftly swatted Fred's hand away and took the briefcase herself, sitting down on one of the seats and snapping it open beside her. Interested, Fred sat on the other end of the luggage, raising his eyebrows at the shadowy emptiness inside. He shot Katrina a curious look as she stuck nearly her whole arm into the briefcase, grasping at random items and flinging them about almost carelessly.

"I got a late gift on New Year's Eve," she explained. As she finally gripped the camera, she shouted, "Aha!" and pulled it out with a smug grin.

"A camera?" Fred asked, and Katrina nodded.

"Yep! I don't know who sent it though, they left me a letter and signed it 'Moony'. Do you know a Moony?"

"Nope," Fred popped his lips and shook his head. "What's so special about a camera, though?"

Katrina shrugged. "I've been wanting one for a while now. Moony charmed the film cartridge so it never runs out of photos."

"Let's see it then," Fred said, waving his hand. Katrina laughed quietly and handed the camera to him. He turned it around a couple of times in his hands, tweaking the nobs and silver attachments before shooting Katrina a mischievous look.

"What are you planning?" she asked quietly, not even bothering to his her smile.

"A photo shoot," Fred said before holding the camera up to his eyes and snapping multiple pictures of her.

Katrina laughed as Fred began to shout odd words of encouragement and compliments. He would say things like "You're a tiger in the rainforest, being chased by a gang of trolls on flying carpets!" and Katrina would only laugh more. Eventually she was sure he had plenty more than eighty different shots of her cracking up, so she took her camera away and laughed along with Fred.

Eventually, she ended up taking as many pictures of him as he did with her. Fred posed and made hilarious faces until they were out of London.

As the two of them huddled together, Fred holding the camera up and snapping a picture of their cheesy faces, Katrina thought absentmindedly just where George and Cora were off to.

"Your brother's not harassing Cora to awful much, is he?" Katrina chuckled as Fred took a picture of himself with his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth.

"Whaff?" He asked dumbly, then sucked his tongue in again with a laugh. "Oh, no, they're probably snogging."

"Snogging?" Katrina furrowed her brow. Realization hit her like a tonne of bricks.

"_He likes her!_" she suddenly shouted and Fred laughed again.

"And you call me daft," he joked, nudging her shoulder. Katrina pouted a bit, bumping his shoulder back. "But yes, if you must know, he's asking Cora out on a date."

"Is he?" Katrina turned to Fred with a grin, clasping her hands together in her lap. "What's he got planned?"

"The git won't tell me," Fred chuckled, throwing her arms into the air, "Says he's afraid I'll 'sabotage' it!"

"At least he's got brains," Katrina snickered as Fred exclaimed a rather loud "Hey!"

"Oh, settle down," she laughed and placed a hand on his arm, "Don't get your knickers in a twist!"

"I do not wear knickers," Fred grumbled lightheartedly and Katrina laughed. He suddenly smirked and added, "Would you like to find out?"

"No, no," Katrina giggled as she pushed him away playfully, "I'm afraid of what might be lurking under your trousers."

Fred grinned. "Unimaginable pleasure."

"Down, boy," Katrina laughed, shoving his face away from hers. He waggled his eyebrows a bit before laughing himself.

"You know what we should do, though?" Katrina whispered with a waggle of her own eyebrows.

"What's that?" Fred leaned in again dramatically.

"Spy on them," she grinned as Fred smirked.

"I like the way you think," he said quietly, tapping her nose with his finger. Katrina laughed with him for a good while, swiping her camera back and snapping a few photos of the scenery outside the compartment window.

They both jumped as Cora slid the door open again.

George was behind her, looking dazed a disheveled. Fred grinned widely at him, sending a suggestive wink Cora's way. She blushed a bit her lip, quickly sitting beside Katrina, who was giddy for the story.

"Ah," George said quickly, shaking his head and looking at Fred, "are we gonna get Lee? We might as well share a compartment."

"Sure," Fred shrugged and stood, walking out of the compartment and thumping his brother on the shoulder. "Tell me _all_ about it," was the last thing Katrina heard as he shut the door behind him.

She quickly turned to Cora, who was still biting her lip. Grinning, Katrina said, "Spill."

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

* * *

_I had a little bit of fun with this chapter uwu As you can tell o;  
_

_WELL THIS MOONY CHARACTER IS CERTAINLY SUSPICIOUS, AIN'T HE?  
_

_ugly laughter  
_


	17. PRETTY LITTLE ARSE

". . . and our date's on Saturday," Cora finished with a bashful smile, playing a little with the hem of her skirt and biting her lip as Katrina laughed loudly.

"Did he say what you're gonna do?" she asked excitedly, fingering her camera in her lap.

"No," Cora giggled a little, "George said it was a surprise. . . ."

"That's _really_ cute," Katrina sighed with a breathy laugh, turning the camera around and around.

"And you get onto me about bothering you with Fred!" Cora grinned slyly as she gave Katrina a pointed look.

"That's different," Katrina said quietly, still smiling, "Fred and I definitely don't like each other. It's just a bit of — er — platonic fun?"

"Platonic?" Cora snorted, "_Platonic?_ Katrina, you don't just _snog_ somebody and call it _platonic_ —"

"Why not?" Katrina retorted, cocking an eyebrow, "Merlin, it's just a bit of lip-smashing. It's no different than holding hands or something —"

"Most friends don't hold hands, you know," Cora interrupted.

Quickly losing her patience, Katrina snapped, "Some do! What if Fred and I just like to — to — I don't know — have physical contact?"

Cora gave Katrina another look.

"You're incorrigible," Katrina mumbled.

"And you are ignorant," Cora smiled a little as Katrina's hair flared white.

"_I am not!_"

"Ladies, ladies!" Fred called as he slid the door open, "Settle down, no need to fight. There's enough of me to share!"

"So much, in fact," George chimed in, "there's two of you!"

"Precisely!" Fred laughed as he, George, and Lee clambered in with their things.

"Very clever," Cora twittered as George sent her a wink.

"What's got you at the end of your tether, love?" Fred asked Katrina shrewdly, slipping in beside her with a smirk and throwing his arm over her shoulders. She got another look from Cora.

"Nothing," she said coolly as Fred placed a questionably long kiss on her temple. He swiped the camera out from her fingers and leaned away, placing it to his eyes and pulling Katrina with him.

"Fancy my camera, do you?" she choked as he snapped a picture of Cora, George, and Lee, all looking rather confused.

"Where'd you get that?" Lee asked before Fred could reply with something witty.

Prying her head out of Fred's arm, Katrina ruffled her hair (which had returned to blue) and sighed, "I got it as a late Christmas gift by owl. I dunno who sent it, though — they signed their name 'Moony'."

"It never runs out of film," Fred explained as he took another picture of Katrina, who smiled lopsidedly and shoved his face away with her hand.

But George had suddenly gone stock-still.

"_Moony?_" he asked as Fred slowly removed the camera from his eyes. Something seemed to have suddenly clicked in both his and Lee's mind.

"What is it?" Katrina asked slowly with a nervous chuckle.

"_Messr Moony!_ We do know who gave you this camera!" Fred said suddenly in wide-eyed surprise. "Well, I mean, sort of," he added after a moment.

"What? How?"

"Long story," George said quickly, looking dazed.

"Fred and George swiped a map, see," Lee explained as the twins shot him glances, "Oh, ease up, you two! You don't have it anymore, anyways — but they took this map from Filch's office first year. It only looked like a piece of parchment at the time, but if you said a certain phrase, it would show up as a map of Hogwarts."

George sighed. "_I solemnly swear that I am up to no good._"

Katrina and Cora gasped.

"_That's_ what you meant!" Katrina shouted and Fred and George shot her apologetic grins. "I've been wondering about that for _ages!_"

"Yes, well," Lee continued hurriedly, "When you said that, this message also came up."

" 'Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs,' " George began.

" 'Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers,' " Fred continued with a nostalgic sigh.

" 'Are proud to present the Marauder's Map," the two of them chorused, and Lee nodded.

Cora knitted her eyebrows together in thought. "So this Moony person was a 'Marauder'? What's that?"

Fred and George groaned.

"Not _just_ a Marauder!" Fred said indignantly, "He and Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs were _the_ makers of mischief back in the day! And this wasn't just any ruddy old map for Hogwarts —"

"It listed all the passageways," George explained, "Including the ones between Hogwarts and Hogsmeade, and behind every tapestry, portrait, fake wall, everything."

"So _that's_ how —" Katrina started.

"Yes," Fred said irritably, "We memorized the bloody thing. But it also showed you everyone in the castle. What they were doing and everything!"

"Really?" Cora gaped, "That's _incredibly_ complex magic!"

"We know," the twins chorused.

"And _you,_ young lady," George said, pointing at Katrina with a wide smiled, "have met one!"

"We've been worried, actually," Fred said as Katrina leaned back into her seat, bewildered, "Thought that they had all died. But look at this! You've gotten a _present_ from one!"

"Moony must really fancy you," Lee added with a smirk.

"Maybe Moony's Lupin," George snorted as Katrina sent him a glare.

"Lupin _does not_ fancy me, you dolts," she said quietly, shuffling a bit in her seat as Fred took even more interest in her camera.

"It does make sense though, I suppose," she mumbled after a moment. The boys and Cora looked at her, surprised.

"It was only a joke, Trina!" George laughed hoarsely from his seat, "There's now way it could be Lupin —"

"Sure there is," Katrina shrugged, "The last time I had tea with him, we talked about photographs and portraits."

"But why would Lupin not just say it was from him, then?" Fred asked with a nervous chuckle.

"Favoritism," Katrina reasoned. Fred, George, and Lee looked between themselves, as if to try and mentally find some way to prove that Professor Lupin was not in fact a Marauder.

"No," Fred said.

"He just _can't_ be —" George continued.

"What's the big deal?" Cora asked. The boys all gave here exasperated looks.

"Moony's one of our _idols,_ Cora!" George said, "If Moony is actually Lupin, then — then — well, how weird would it be to go up to Lupin and say —"

" 'Hey, we've been following your footsteps in mischief-making ever since our first year, and we sort of really look up to you and Padfoot, Wormtail, and Prongs!' " Fred scoffed.

"Exactly!" George said. "That would just be _weird._"

"Tell you what," Katrina rolled her eyes, "The next time I have tea with Professor Lupin, I'll ask him if he's Moony. If he's not, you're right, and I'm connecting invisible lines. But if I'm right, then there's something more worrisome at hand."

They all gave Katrina confused looks. She sighed deeply.

"Professor Lupin was friends with Peter Pettigrew, James Potter, and Sirius Black," she told them plainly, and again, everything seemed to click in their minds.

"_No,_" Fred shook his head stubbornly, "It's _not possible._ Black couldn't have been a Marauder, they — they didn't do any harm!"

"Well it fits, doesn't it?" Katrina snapped, "Professor Lupin used to be best friends with three others — that matches how many names you had on that map. My dad said they were tied to the hip, all of them. And, come to think of it," she leaned back into her seat again, crossing her arms and legs importantly, "one day I asked Lupin about your suspicious 'up to no good' phrase. He had this look in his eyes, he almost looked _proud._ What if he was happy his _legacy_ as a Marauder had been passed on to other mischief-makers?"

The boys, however, continued to refuse to accept Lupin.

Katrina eventually decided to drop it, nicking her camera back and taking pictures of them all. After a while, Fred, George, and Lee were back to their story-telling antics.

"Did you know that," Fred grinned, "our third year — the time the third floor corridor was forbidden, remember? — that there was a _ginormous, three-headed dog_ inside of it?"

"What?" Cora laughed, "That's not possible!"

"Is too!" Fred and George chimed.

"We were there!" Lee laughed jovially, "Saw it with our own eyes!"

"Nearly ripped my arm off, it did," George grinned as he rolled his shoulder around.

"I'll believe it when I see it," Katrina said tonelessly as she clicked a picture of George sticking his tongue out at her.

"Well you can't see it _now,_" Lee said, "Hagrid's sent if off somewhere. Do you know what he called it? _Fluffy!_"

"For some reason," Cora giggled, "I'm not surprised."

"Why would they need a three-headed dog, though?" Katrina asked, giving the boys questioning looks.

"Did you not hear the rumors third year? About Harry?" Fred asked incredulously.

"Of course I did," Katrina snapped, "But rumors tend to go wild in Hogwarts. Do you know what Terry Boot was saying? That _Quirrel_ was trying to steal the _Philosopher's Stone_! It's barmy!"

Fred and George groaned.

"That _is_ what happened!" George said, and Katrina cocked a surprised eyebrow at him. "Quirrel was setting up a ruse. And a big one, at that."

"What do you mean?" Cora asked, but Fred and George shook their heads.

"No idea," Lee said slowly, looking at the twins for a moment before shrugging. "But anyways, that wasn't all we found third year, was it, boys?" He grinned at the twins, who suddenly turned whimsical.

Katrina raised her other eyebrow.

""We were out after curfew one night," George explained, "And we ran into this unused classroom right before Filch caught us. Inside was this weird mirror that had these backwards words on it and stuff."

"Okay. . .?"

"Let us finish," Fred said shortly.

"Well, that mirror was pretty weird. We didn't see it again after that night, it was actually sort of freaky the more we thought of it. But, see, when we looked into it, we sort of saw the future."

"Like a crystal ball?" Katrina asked as Cora made an impressed noise.

"Sort of, but not really," Fred explained. "The backwards words read something along the lines of 'Not what you think you want, but what your heart desires.' It wasn't that hard to figure out, really, why Ron never realized I'll never know —"

"Ron found it?" Cora asked.

"Yes," Fred sighed irritably, "But that's another story. Anyways, we sort of saw what we really want to do. It was really. . . what's the word I'm looking for, George?"

"Inspiring?" George answered.

"Yeah, that's it!" Fred nodded. Katrina shrugged.

"That's interesting," she said fairly. "So, what did you see?"

The twins suddenly seemed to become a bit embarrassed. They were proud of it, Katrina thought, but maybe they thought it would sound silly aloud?

"They saw themselves," Lee answered for them with a playful roll of his eyes, "they told me they were in front of a joke shop."

"So your heart's desire is to always be near a joke shop?" Cora laughed quietly as George turned a brilliant shade of pink. Fred shuffled beside Katrina.

"Not exactly," he said, "More like we want to _own_ one. . . ."

"Oh," Katrina and Cora chorused. They were quiet for a moment, all of them staring around (besides Lee, who seemed a bit oblivious to the awkwardness of it all) until Katrina began to grin widely.

"You'll be better than Zonko's," she told them proudly. They twins swiftly turned magenta, all the way up to the tips of their ears.

"That's the plan," George smiled a bit as Cora nodded enthusiastically. Lee laughed lightly, thudding George on the shoulder as Fred slowly took Katrina's hand and gave it a small squeeze.

"Never thought you'd approve of pranks," he smirked into her ear.

"Well," she said quietly, "You enjoy it. I don't see why you shouldn't make a joke shop, if that's what you really want to do, because I know you'll put your whole heart into it."

"That's it!" Fred exclaimed loudly, making Katrina jump as he grinned a wide grin, "I'm going to take you on a date, it's official —"

"And it wasn't before?" George snickered as Katrina's face burned a brighter red than the twins had been previously. She was sure her hair was violet, too.

Fred placed his chin on Katrina's shoulder, cheekily smiling at her and shooting her a wink. "What do you say, love?"

"I — I-I —" she stammered, blinking multiple times to try and clear the fog that had somehow filled her brain. Thinking was currently impossible.

Fred gave her hand another squeeze.

"I've never been on a date," she squeaked quickly. Everyone in the compartment smiled.

"You've got to learn somehow, Trina," George winked at her, but Katrina shook her head.

"I'll mess it up or something, I always do —"

"You didn't mess up our day in the paddock," Fred said, slipping his hand out of her fingers and around her waist. Katrina shook her head again.

"Oh, come off it, Trina," Lee laughed, "Just get the gushy stuff over with already, before I vomit!"

Katrina swiftly exhaled from her nose, forcing herself to stop blushing and return to her normal coloration. "Fine," she said stiffly and glancing at Fred from the corner of her eye, "But if I mess this up for you, it's your own bloody fault."

"Noted," Fred beamed, shifting away from her shoulder and back into his seat, pulling Katrina with him. She rigidly settled herself as he moved his arm up to her shoulder.

"Ease up," he told her quietly, placing another quick kiss on her temple. Katrina began to blush again, but was gratefully unnoticed by everyone besides Fred since Cora had taken her camera and was snapping pictures of George and Lee goofing around.

She grumbled something incoherently, turning in her seat and into Fred's chest, gripping him around the middle.

He chuckled and rubbed her shoulder comfortingly. After a moment, he leaned down to her ear and whispered, "My brains _still _haven't melted."

"You are such an arse!" she laughed into his sweater, and she didn't have to look up to see his grin.

"You know," Fred chimed, "I think with all this insulting, you deserve a little _punishment._"

Before Katrina could reply with a witty retort, Fred had roughly placed his lips behind her ear.

Almost instantly, she erupted in a fit of giggles. There was an odd bubbling sensation flourishing through her stomach and forcing her to laugh louder than ever.

Cora, Lee, and George were laughing themselves as Katrina wriggled and thrashed against Fred, who only pinched her sides and make her shriek more.

Clicking followed many more roars of laughter, and Katrina knew distantly that Cora was taking pictures. She slapped, she pushed, and she was even tempted to try George's suggestion of "_Gnaw his ear off!_", but thought better of it.

"Next thing, they'll be snogging again," Lee sniggered to George, who chortled in reply. Katrina reached a hand up and pulled Fred's ear harshly, resulting in a grunt from him.

"Say that you're brilliant," he told her with another smirk, still pinching her sides, "and I'll leave you be."

"W-wh-_why,_" Katrina screeched between her laughs, "w-w-would I w-want t-t-to d-do th-that?"

"Because you are," Fred mumbled into her skin, "Almost everyone is, and you need to bloody realize it before I shove it up your pretty little arse."

Katrina laughed more from the joke than the pinches this time.

"W-w-well th-en," she squeaked, "I g-g-_guess_ you'll h-have t-t-to-OO sh-sh-OVE it up my — my _arse_, then!" And she dissolved into cackles.

"Alright then," Fred smirked as he moved away from her neck and watched her take in deep, gasping breaths, still fighting giggles.

Katrina jumped and shrieked at another pinch on her bottom. "Fred Weasley, you get your hand off my bum or you'll wake up without you testicles tomorrow morning!"

"Ouch," Fred mocked a wince as the compartment roared with laughter, raising his hands up to his head, "No need to get so physical, Katrina! You'll have plenty of time to fondle me later —"

"I swear to _God,_ Fred," Katrina said as she roughly shoved him away, not even fighting the bubbly giggles pouring out of her mouth.

"What?" he waggled his eyebrows.

"You're so — so —" but she didn't finish. Katrina convulsed into howls, grasping tightly at her stitches as Cora muffled her own laughter with her hands.

"_Sexy,_" Fred winked. George and Lee gave great, bellowing snorts.

* * *

Katrina found herself separated from Cora and the boys as a massive influx of Ravenclaws swept her into the Entrance Hall. She had really wanted to get her camera back from Lee, but she supposed it was in good enough hands (hopefully he wouldn't hex it or something weird like that). She was nearly in the doors of the Great Hall by the time two arms slid between her elbows, guiding her over to the Grand Staircase instead.

"Wh—" she began, but Fred cut her off.

"We're going to the kitchens," he told her curtly, "Got to have a meal before we start our late-night mischief, don't we?"

Before Katrina could reply, George explained, "Since you seem so keen on our joke business, we've decided to let you in on it. Lee is, too, but he's busy — gonna ask Angelina out again."

"We asked Cora about it, but she didn't want to," Fred continued, "Said she'd probably get in the way, since she's horrid with potions and things."

"What do you mean, 'let me in on it'?" she asked quickly, and the twins grinned, slipping her behind a tapestry.

"We're going to spend the night in the Library," Fred said as he prodded her forward.

"That's it?" Katrina laughed as she took a few steps, leaving enough room for the twins to huddle in beside her. "I'm thoroughly disappointed."

"Not _just_ the Library," George thumped her on the shoulder, sliding himself in front and leading the way down the thin passage, "The Restricted Section, too. There's lots of inspiring stuff back there."

"Wait, wait," she smiled as she raised her hands, "You want _me_ to spend the night with you two, studying books in the _Restricted Section?_ Me?"

The boys went quiet, looking between themselves with shrugs.

"Yeah," the said together, and Katrina laughed again.

"You two are going to get me expelled," she told them as they continued, jumping out and into a corridor beside a portrait of a bowl of fruit.

"We haven't been expelled yet, though, have we?" George asked.

"I suppose not," Katrina said slowly, "But you're walking on an incredibly thin line."

"That's what makes it exciting," Fred said as he walked up to the portrait, shooting Katrina a smirk as she rolled her eyes. He raised his finger and promptly began to tickle one of the pears.

She shot George a curious look, searching for signs that his brother may possibly be crazy for poking at a painted pear. But George only winked, and Katrina faced Fred again. The pear had begun to giggle.

Three seconds later, and the huge portrait swung open, revealing another passage. George led Katrina through with a hand on her back, and as she took in the sight, she gasped.

It was the kitchens. House-elf after house-elf ran around, preparing food and placing trays of multiple courses onto long tables that mimicked the ones in the Great Hall. A few of them spotted them and ran over to bow deeply.

"Master Fred, master George!" squeaked one of them, raising his head enough to look between the twins with his huge tennis-ball eyes, "How can Jeffy assist his masters today?"

"Hello, Jeffy!" George roared, patting the house-elf on the head and earning an embarrassed squeak from it, "We've got some studying to do later, d'you think you can spare a meal or three?"

"Of course, master George!" another house-elf said in a higher voice, "We is happy to help!" And they scuttled off.

"Wow," Katrina whispered, looking over the hundreds of tiny heads rushing hither and thither. "I — I never knew there were house-elves in Hogwarts!"

" 'Course there are," Fred said as he slung his arm over her shoulder, "How did you think our luggage gets to our dorms?"

"Or who makes the food?" George motioned around him as he took a seat at one of the tables.

"Or how the whole bloody castle stays clean?" Fred said as he led her to the same table. He gave her a wink. "Magic?"

"Something like that," Katrina said, dazed, as the same few house-elves returned holding roasted chicken, plates, goblets, and a jug of ice-cold pumpkin juice in their hands. Fred sat her down with a chuckle.

"Jeffy, Milly, Loofa, meet Katrina. Katrina, meet Jeffy, Milly, and Loofa!"

The three house-elves bowed deeply again, Milly nearly spilling the pumpkin juice.

"And Minty," George said, pointing over the crowd, "Twinkle, Dot, Beck, Dylfi, Patrice, Fent, Ally, Vinder, Lexi —" he took a bit of roast chicken as Jeffy set it on the table, "— Yvel, Finky, Blinky, Stella, Pinky — well — everyone!"

"Mistress Katrina!" Loofa squeaked and Katrina jumped, looking down at the tiny elf's ginormous hazel eyes, "Would you like Loofa to pour Mistress Katrina a goblet of pumpkin juice? Loofa would be most pleased!"

"O-oh!" Katrina said, "I-I . . . I suppose?"

Loofa made an excited sort of squeal, taking Katrina's goblet and swiftly filling it up with the pumpkin juice. Katrina smiled as she took the goblet back and said, "Thank you, Loofa."

"It was Loofa's pleasure, Mistress!" Loofa nodded ecstatically, "Loofa loves to serve, Mistress!"

"Can Jeffy get mistress Katrina anything else?" Jeffy asked from George's side, "Or master George, or master Fred?"

"No thanks, Jeffy," Fred said as he took a piece of chicken, "This is perfect! Well done."

"Thank you, Master!" Jeffy said, nearly moved to tears. He, Loofa, and Milly tottered away, speaking quietly to the other house-elves and continuing to prepare puddings for the students in the Great Hall. By the racket, Katrina figured they were directly below them.

"So, when did you find this?" Katrina asked quietly as she slowly sipped her pumpkin juice.

"First year," the twins chorused through their mouthfuls of chicken.

"Ah," Katrina nodded with a smirk, "You found everything first year, didn't you?"

"Blame the map," Fred said and swallowed, "It showed us _everything._"

"Except for, possibly, the Chamber of Secrets?" Katrina asked. As Fred contemplated with a rather offended expression, she winked and took a piece of roasted chicken.

"Oi!" George said after a moment, "The Chamber's probably unplottable! Besides, nobody found it before Harry and the heir, did they?"

"I suppose," Katrina shrugged, taking a bite from her chicken. As she swallowed, she realized just how hungry she was.

Fred decided to go deep into detail about the Chamber of Secrets, and just what Harry had done the previous year. It turned out it was Ginny, his and George's younger sister, who had been taken hostage there by whatever was petrifying people. When Katrina asked what the thing had been (since she had heard many different rumors, including one of a mermaid-werewolf-wizard hybrid who only killed on the full moon) the twins shared odd glances.

They were quiet for a good ten seconds before Fred said, "It was a Basilisk. Traveled through the pipes."

"A _Basilisk?_" Katrina gasped, "I heard that rumor, but I never thought it was possible! If any of those people had looked it in the eye. . . ."

Fred and George silently chewed their chicken, looking anywhere but Katrina.

"Wait a moment, though," she said, cocking an eyebrow at the two, "Who was controlling it, then? _Somebody_ had to be the heir of Slytherin."

"How about some puddings?" George interrupted, waving one of the house-elves over. "Fennick, d'you think you can get some puddings for us?"

"Yes, master George!" Fennick squeaked before disappearing into the crowd again.

Katrina had the odd suspicion that they were hiding something from her.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

* * *

_oh no not more fluff!  
_

_anyways so Katrina and Fred are scheduled for a date (finally) which I'm still trying to figure out when they should do it idek  
_

_uhm Fred is being really cute and has basically made a vow in his head to raise Katrina's self-esteem (just wait he's gonna be so cute about it too)  
_

_GEORGE AND CORA ARE REALLY CUTE FOR LOTS OF REASONS  
_

_uhmmmmm I totally ship Lee/Angelina but they're not getting together (not yet i whisper to the wind)  
_

_also this is the start of a very big part of Katrina's life :'D it pretty much changes every direction she thought she was gonna take in life. In a good way!  
_

_Anyways my weirdness aside, sorry this chapter took a little longer than my usual post-something-every-consecutive-five-in-the-morning. School has started, which therefore means that I am stressed and pooped when I get home and all I do is sleep! ouo  
_

_Thanks for the reviews, views, favorites, follows, etc!  
_


	18. CO-CO-ADMINISTRATION

"Are you _sure_ Madam Pince doesn't stay after curfew?" Katrina whispered as she, Fred, and George tip-toed into the Library.

"_Yes,_ Trina," Fred grumbled, peering around an aisle of shelves and waving them forward a moment later.

"We've done this loads of times," George assured her with a smirk.

"What _haven't_ you done?" Katrina sighed as she followed, peering down each aisle from the corners of her eyes.

"Stolen a Hogwarts toilet seat," they automatically replied.

"We did try to give Harry one third year, though," Fred grinned nostalgically. "Poppy thought it was unsanitary."

"You're horrible," Katrina muttered. "The both of you!"

"Thanks," the twins beamed cheekily. Fred quietly stepped over the rope closing off the Restricted Section, George doing the same.

Katrina clenched and unclenched her jaw. She had never been in the Restricted Section, and only once did she sign out a book from it (_Extreme Monstrosities_ for Defense Against the Dark Arts her fourth year — Lockhart had greatly disappointed her with his lessons, so she decided to study everything of importance herself). Most everything about the Dark Arts was back there, and just the thought of what might be lurking on every book's pages nearly sent a shiver down her spine.

"Well?" George asked, making Katrina jump. "Are you coming or not, you great coward?" He waggled his eyebrows as Katrina fumed, Fred snickering from behind.

"I am not a coward!" she whispered harshly, causing George to send her a superior look.

"Stop fannying around, then!"

Katrina mumbled multiple curses as she stubbornly stepped over the rope, shoving George's shoulder as he laughed quietly. Fred shot her a wink before taking her hand and leading her down a random aisle, his brother following close behind.

"Fannying around," Katrina scoffed. "I _was not_ fannying around. . . ."

"Yes, yes," Fred said quickly, squinting as he read the title of a book and then moving on to the next. "Mind helping us, will you? We did bring you here for a reason."

"Yeah, yeah. . ." Katrina continued to grumble as she glanced between books. "What exactly am I looking for, anyways?"

George shrugged. "Anything interesting."

"That's brilliant," she replied in monotone. "Very descriptive. I'll be sure to find a book that fits everything in your criteria."

"There's that snark!" George said happily as he pulled a book from a rather high shelf with little to no effort. "I've missed it, you've been much too giggly with Fred."

"Terribly sorry," Katrina continued as she fiddled with the spine of a battered book, "It's a bit hard to act smarmy when a certain bastard is pinching your arse."

George whistled as Fred swiveled around on his heel.

"Don't pretend you didn't enjoy it!" he said in a mocked accusing tone.

"I'll pretend if I very well please," Katrina said playfully as she slid the book off of the shelf.

"Oh, so you _did_ enjoy it, then!" George laughed as Katrina flipped the cover of her book open.

"I . . . _implied,_" she smirked. George teasingly made a gagging sound.

"Oooh," Fred cooed as he slipped in behind Katrina, snaking his arms around her waist and setting his chin onto her shoulder. "If you liked that, imagine what else you could imply to enjoy."

"I'm going to puke," George choked. Katrina pushed Fred's face away with her hand, laughing quietly with him.

"We're supposed to be 'studying', not flirting," she told him quietly, smiling a small smile as she flipped through a few pages of her book. It was written in ancient runes — something she could hardly read.

Fred whined. "But I _like_ flirting."

"Well I _like_ snogging, but you don't see me attacking your face, now do you?"

"You could be," Fred said with a suggestive wink. George groaned loudly.

"Fred, I'm going to bring Cora along one day and act like you are right now, so you can feel how excruciatingly disgusted I am."

"Brilliant, we can vomit on each other!" Fred said jovially, jogging over to his twin and looking over his shoulder at the book he had open. "What's this?"

"Nothing," George frowned. "We've been in here thousands of times, you know, and haven't found a single thing besides a screaming book."

"Maybe you don't need dark magic," Katrina suggested. The twins gave her odd looks. "Well, I mean," she explained, "Charms and Transfiguration can do a lot more than you're giving them credit. And the only potions you'll find in here will be riddled with pain and agony — actually, the majority of them are probably poisons. . . ."

"_And,_" she added after a moment, "If you make a product with any of _this_" Katrina motioned to the rest of the Restricted Section, "you'll probably end up with the Ministry up your arses."

Fred and George opened their mouths to say something, but closed them a second later. This continued for a solid minute before George turned to Fred and said, "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Because you're a dolt, that's why," Katrina pointed out seriously, but smiled. "Well, boys, it seems like you're completely lost with this product-making business. If you ask me," she snapped her book shut, importantly raising her chin, "you need a Ravenclaw on your team."

"We'll be sure to ask Roger Davies to join us next time we see him, then," Fred said quickly with a grin. Katrina exhaled swiftly from her nose.

"Relax, Trina," George laughed. "It was just a joke!"

"I know that," Katrina snapped, slipping her book back into its place on the shelf snootily. George scoffed at Fred, who gave him a stern look.

After rolling his eyes, George said, "Are you sure about that, though, Katrina? We're going to be making _pranks_ — things that could land you in detention!"

"If you haven't noticed," she replied dully, "I'm in the Restricted section with the infamous Weasley twins after curfew."

"She's got a point, mate," Fred said. George slumped his shoulders comically.

"What I mean, Katrina," he told her, "is that this is stuff that, for one, Fred and I have been dreaming of starting for _ages_. And for two," he added as Katrina began to wring her hands together, "the things we're planning on making are going to go completely against everything that you've been telling us you're all for since the beginning of the year."

"Yes, well," Katrina said quietly, "I-I don't mean to intrude or anything, if you want to keep this all to yourselves that's perfectly fine! It is your dream, after all. But you see, I — I sort of _like_ going against the rules, does that make sense?" She glanced up at the boys, but quickly shook her head. "No, of course that makes sense, that's exactly why you do it — but what I mean is that it doesn't sound half bad, inventing and selling products that make others laugh. I can sort of see why you two love it so much."

"We don't mind if you want to be a part of it," Fred shrugged, "it's just that we're worried that you'll beat yourself up about it later."

"I think," Katrina said even more quietly, "that if I was making others feel as great as I do when I'm with you and the others, that I'll be perfectly fine with it."

"Aww," Fred and George hummed. "That's sweet!"

Katrina squeaked as she was embraced tightly from the both of them.

"Boys!" she choked. "Boys! I can't — _breathe!_"

"Does this seem familiar to you, mate?" George asked.

"Quite," Fred nodded in reply, shoving Katrina's face into his chest. "I've got a question for you, George."

"And what's that, Fred?" George asked as he playfully pinched Katrina's arm.

"What do you say," Fred asked, laughing at Katrina's pitiful squeal of protest, "to accepting Trina here as a co-administrator of Weasley & Weasley Incorporated?"

George frowned deeply in a joking manner. "Nah. I say we make her a co-co-administrator, so we can keep the co-administrator title to ourselves."

"Sounds good," Fred nodded seriously. "What do you say, love?" He pinched Katrina's side, resulting in a muffled shriek of laughter.

"I'd say that was a yes!" George exclaimed, releasing Katrina along with Fred. "Now, shall we 'study' —?"

But her never got to finish. As Katrina turned to face him, a dreadful sight had caught her eye and left her slack-jawed. The twins had caught on only moments later.

There was Mrs. Norris, her yellow, lamp-like eyes bulging in the dim lighting.

"Run," Fred said quickly, yanking on Katrina's arm as he and George turned in the other direction, "_Run!_"

He, George, and Katrina swiftly pelted down the aisle, jumping over the rope that closed off the Restricted Section and out of the Library. Numbly, Katrina realized that she could hear Filch muttering loudly behind them as they turned a sharp corner, then another, and another.

"He knows all the passageways," George said quickly as he looked over his shoulder. "Shit, he's right there — Maybe if we could just slip into —"

Fred, who was still grasping Katrina's upper arm, slung open a door and threw himself and her into it. The broom closet was tiny and they nearly stepped on each other's feet as Fred grinned, turning to George in the corridor and said, "Sorry, mate, only room for two!"

George seemed mildly furious as Fred slammed the door in his face. Katrina listened as his feet thudded away, followed by the uneven thumping of Filch. Fred had to cover his mouth to keep himself from snickering.

By the shadows leaking from under the door, Katrina saw the slim outline of Mrs. Norris, who paused outside. The breath caught in her throat as what felt like several minutes passed by, heart beating rapidly until the thin figure melted away.

Fred creaked the door open the smallest he could manage, peeking through the small sliver and down the hall. After grinning triumphantly, he closed it silently again.

"That," Katrina gasped as she placed a shaky hand on her chest, "was _amazing._"

"Nothing like a run from Filch to make you fell alive, eh?" Fred laughed.

"Something like that, yeah," she replied wistfully. There really was a certain feeling she had never experienced before — adrenaline. Sure, she had gotten excited over things, or she had been afraid of consequences for something, but never had she ran away from Filch or any other staff figure. It was _fun._

"You've got that look again," Fred chuckled as he slid his hand down her arm, making Katrina jump.

"Huh?" she asked dumbly. He laughed again.

"You get this look," he told her, taking her wrists and wrapping them around his neck. At Katrina's questioning look, he smiled and said, "I think it's when you realize that you — ah — _like_ something more than you thought you would."

"And I suppose you've seen this 'look' before?" Katrina snorted as Fred curled his arms around her waist again.

"Oh, yes," he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Right after our snogging in the paddock. You're all blank and clueless, and then you get this big grin on your face —"

"Why'd you leave George out there?" she asked quickly, ignoring the confused expression on Fred's face. That same bubbling feeling was raising in her gut, but this time it was much, much more anxious.

"Because," Fred answered slyly after a moment, "I didn't want him to vomit on the brooms."

"Well aren't you clever," Katrina smiled back. She was getting jumpy.

"You're nervous," Fred sang as she fiddled with the fringe on the back of his neck. "Why's that? You're not intimidated by my dashing good looks, surely?"

"Never," she replied stubbornly, and before she had even thought to, she had kissed his long, freckled nose.

Fred grinned. "Making the first move, are we?"

Katrina had tried to make an excuse, but ended up spluttering nonsense. She was only silenced when Fred kissed her nose back.

"I missed you," he had just enough time to mumble out before Katrina had pulled him forward.

The same, familiar-yet-not eruption of fireworks cascaded through Katrina's every vein as she felt Fred's lips eagerly connect with hers. Any anxiety or jumpiness melted away as she tangled her fingers through his hair, replaced with an urge to simply be close. And then, she realized something; there had been a gap over the break. Not one that she had noticed, but one that she saw now. That was why she was so quick to forgive Fred after he sent the Howler, that was why she was so incredibly giddy before and during the train ride. Katrina had missed him, and a lot more than a girl who didn't _like_ him should have.

Fred squeezed her tighter around the middle, grinning widely as they slowly moved away again. Katrina was blushing so harshly she was sure she had turned magenta all over, not just her cheeks.

"_Now_ my brains have melted," Fred whispered, and Katrina was so riddled by the boiling of her scalp that she had to bury her face in his neck to keep herself from burning redder.

"We just snogged in a broom cupboard," she squeaked.

By Fred's bellowing, jubilant laughter, Katrina thought Filch must have heard him no matter where George had led the caretaker.

"You are brilliant," he chortled merrily, shoving his nose into her hair. "Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!"

"Wh-what?" Katrina croaked, "No, I'm not, what are you —?"

"I'm shoving it up your arse," Fred told her, calming himself down enough to mere chuckles. "You're brilliant and wonderful and don't you dare say that you aren't in front of me again, alright?"

"But —"

"No buts!" Fred laughed as he raised a hand to the back of her head, pulling her even closer as he inhaled deeply. Katrina squeaked again. "I won't take it. I hate it when people I like do stuff like that."

"People you like?" she asked shrilly.

"Well, I don't mind if people I don't like put themselves down, because most of the time they deserve it, but . . . ." Katrina could practically hear his smile as he trailed off.

The silence that followed was oddly comforting. They didn't move much or speak at all, simply breathing. Fred wasn't wearing any cologne by what she could tell, but he still smelled rather nice. By the way he was treating her hair, Katrina supposed he had developed a certain fondness for her shampoo.

"We ought to go back to our common rooms," she mumbled after a while. Fred whined.

"Can't you spend the night again?" he grumbled, nuzzling his nose into her temple. Katrina laughed, slowly pulling away until Fred reluctantly returned his hands to his side, hunching over with a pout.

"No, no," she told him quietly, "I need to unpack, and if I don't show soon my dorm mates will get suspicious. _And,_" she waggled a finger in his face, "lessons start tomorrow! You and I both need a good night's sleep to get back on schedule."

"Schedule, pft," Fred scoffed with a roll of his eyes. "I have no schedule!"

"Then you need one," Katrina replied swiftly, patting his arm.

"Fine," he grumbled, "but I'm escorting you to your common room."

"Fine," Katrina chirped. "I was going to have you anyways, since I would probably get caught about three seconds after you left me alone."

"You're hopeless," Fred teased as he slowly slid the broom closet's door open, peeking outside.

"I am not," Katrina said. "Just . . . impaired."

"Impaired, right. I'm gonna remember that."

Walking to Ravenclaw Tower proved easy enough. Fred and Katrina had found George grumbling behind a tapestry, which he had apparently slipped behind after dropping a Dungbomb (Katrina suspected he had stored a small batch of them behind the tapestry, since it reeked). He eventually forgave Fred — rather casually — by stating that he would not have appreciated them snogging in his presence anyways.

When they approached the common room, Fred was quick to swipe another kiss when George was paying attention to the knocker. He answered the riddle after a few moments, wishing Katrina good night quietly as she sidled in.

The door closed behind her, blocking the twins' retreating backs from view. There were only a few Ravenclaws still out, snoozing lightly on the sofas and armchairs. Katrina quietly walked to her dorm, making sure not to disturb anyone's sleep as she slowly slipped inside.

"Where have you been?" Bernadette Whiffletail screeched as quietly as she could, leaping off of her bed with the other four girls.

"I-I —" Katrina started, but was interrupted by Amelia Felix.

"We've been worried sick!" she exclaimed dramatically, hurrying over to Katrina and gripping her upper arms. Katrina winced. "We thought something had happened to you, we didn't see you at the feast!"

"And now you show up at near midnight," Matilda Leggington frowned.

Katrina wrung her fingers into knots. "I-I was — I just —"

"What is it?" Ferra Fairview yawned sleepily.

Sucking in a deep breath, Katrina said boldly, "I was out with Fred and George. We ate in the kitchens and we — we — er — stayed out late after curfew." It probably wasn't best to mention the Restricted Section.

"Fred and George?" Bernadette raised her eyebrows. "You don't mean the _Weasley_ _twins,_ do you?"

"Yes," Katrina quickly snapped, "and they're brilliant."

"I never said they weren't!" Bernadette said. "They just seem . . . a little . . . different . . . for you?"

"What do you mean?" Katrina asked slowly, prying away from Amelia's tight grip and to her bed, where she began to unpack her briefcase into her school chest.

"Well, Katrina," Ferra yawned as she slumped into her bed sleepily, "you're not exactly the most rambunctious type."

"Sure I am!" Katrina defended shrilly, shoving a large scarf on top of her extra set of Sugar Quills. "I'm plenty rambunctious! And outgoing, and other things like that!"

"Katrina," Matilda frowned, "you've looked different every year. You can't possibly say that you're outgoing if you're scared to be noticed."

She stiffened. Only her dorm mates and Cora knew about that, and it was a very peculiar subject when it came to the inner workings of Katrina's mind.

"There's nothing wrong with it," Amelia sighed dreamily as she glided to her bed. "We're not saying that you can't be friends with somebody, that's stupid. It's just that it's weird to see you — the quiet girl who never wants to be noticed — suddenly turn her hair different colors and show up after curfew."

"Hm," Matilda mumbled to herself, waltzing beside Katrina and looking her over like she was a piece of evidence from a crime scene. Katrina pretended not to notice, setting her books from Christmas against one side of her chest stiffly.

"You don't like one of them, do you?"

She jumped nearly ten feet into the air. Matilda had suggested it so casually one would think she was asking for the time of day.

"No!" Katrina squeaked, slamming her chest shut with a loud _thunk!_ "O-of course I don't like Fred, that'd be weird! H-he's my friend, it's not like —"

"Oooh!" Amelia squealed, dashing from her bed and onto Katrina's in a few swift leaps. "You _do_ like him! Oh, that's cute —"

"N-no!" Katrina wanted to desperately throw Amelia off her bed and curl into her quilts, but instead blushed and stood stock-still in her spot.

"Have you kissed yet?" Amelia asked as she lied onto her stomach, propping her head up with the palms of her hands and throwing her feet into the air.

"Amelia!" Bernadette scolded. Amelia immediately jumped off of Katrina's bed with an apologetic smile on her face.

"Sorry, sorry," she said quietly. "You know how much I love romance —"

"It's not romance," Katrina grumbled as she rigidly began to undress herself. "We're friends. I honestly don't see why you're all so interested!"

"You're a girl, Katrina," Matilda sighed as she sat on her own bed. "We're all girls, and girls talk about this stuff."

"_Why_ must we talk about it, though?" Katrina huffed as she slipped on her pajamas.

"Because if we don't, who will?" Amelia tittered brightly, jumping onto her bed and splaying spread-eagle on top of it.

"Oh, I don't know," Katrina grumbled to herself so that the others wouldn't hear, "Only George and Lee and Angelina, Katie, and Alicia, and Cora, and even Fred himself, the cocky bastard . . . ."

"What's that?" Ferra slurred, half-snoring from under her pillows.

"Nothing, Ferra," Katrina sighed, thudding loudly onto her bed face-first and falling asleep almost instantly.

* * *

Lessons had started again the next day, normal as could be. Herbology was dreadful to most students, but Katrina didn't mind the cold at all. Many students actually gave her odd looks, wondering just how that weird, blue-haired witch could not be shivering so much she dropped her bag of dragon dung (which, Katrina noticed, others seemed to be doing a lot). Little did they know she was supplied with a thick layer of fur under her winter robes, spouting from her skin as if it were born there. She was beginning to wonder why she had never used her abilities like this before.

Fred and George were especially keen on watching Katrina during Transfiguration and Charms. What she had said the night before had apparently struck a chord in them. Lee remained as oblivious as ever, but joined in on levitating pillows into random students' heads when Professor Flitwick had his back turned. Katrina proved to be very skillful in subtle wandwork.

Katrina nearly scarfed down her lunch. Fred, George, and Lee shared anxious glances between themselves while Cora chattered merrily with Katie and Alicia. Angelina was eying Lee with a certain mischievous glint in her eyes. Katrina nearly asked what was on her mind, but decided against it. She had a meeting to get to.

After roughly wiping her mouth with her sleeve, Katrina stood from the table and dismissed herself. The boys sent her stares that she couldn't quite read as she turned on her heel and down the Great Hall, out the doors, and up the Grand Staircase.

She went up a few flights, turned a corner, and slipped behind a tapestry unnoticed. Only a minute or two later, she emerged just a corridor away from her destination. Katrina fiddled with her scarf absentmindedly as she walked by many portraits, most of which were having conversations with other paintings. As she approached the door and nearly knocked on it, she made sure her robes were sitting right as to hide her bulging clothes (fur tended to add a bit of fluff).

Rasping her knuckles on the door a few times, Katrina called quietly, "Professor Lupin? It's Katrina."

"Come in!" came Lupin's reply.

Katrina opened the wooden door slowly, entering the round office and closing it behind her. Professor Lupin had a new piece of furniture, she noticed; a chest. By the looks of its yellowish-orange coloring, she supposed it had come from a Hufflepuff dormitory. It suddenly leaped to life, rattling and vibrating on the ground before falling still and silent again.

"Oh, don't mind that," Lupin smiled. "It's for your lesson tomorrow."

"Right," Katrina said slowly, lowering into her usual seat, still eying the chest. She snapped back to Lupin, though, when he stood and began to prepare tea. "How were your holidays, Professor?"

"Normal, I suppose," Lupin replied, filling his kettle with water. "In the years I've been away from Hogwarts, it seems they've never changed tradition over the break."

"You stayed at Hogwarts during Christmas?" Katrina asked as he glided over again. "When you were in school, I mean."

"Once or twice," Lupin chuckled a bit. "I usually stayed to make sure the others wouldn't start too much trouble. I always helped make it though, in the end . . . ."

Katrina was quiet, silently twisting her fingers together. She glanced down to her bag by her feet.

"Is something the matter?" Lupin asked, and she jumped.

"Oh, no, Professor," she replied quickly. "I-I was just . . . thinking about something."

"What's that, if you don't mind my asking?" Lupin clasped his hands together on top of his desk. Katrina wriggled a bit in her seat, glancing at her bag again.

"Well, Professor, I got a rather . . . _odd_ present over the break . . ." she told him, finally reaching down and pulling her bag open. "Not to say that I don't like it, I really do — but it was just odd the way I received it."

"Oh?" Lupin asked, cocking an eyebrow as Katrina placed her camera on his desk. She sat her hands in her lap and lightly squeezed on her knees, almost to reassure herself.

"Yes, well," she said, "I got it on New Year's Eve, for starters. It came with a note, saying that the sender had meant it to be a Christmas present but the charmwork had been a bit difficult. They signed their name Moony. A-and I — I — uhm . . ."

Suddenly, Katrina felt quite stupid.

"You're wondering if I'm Moony?" Lupin finished, and she nodded.

Professor Lupin chuckled, more to himself than anything. "You're clever. No wonder you were sorted into Ravenclaw."

Katrina blushed, twisting her fingers again as she looked down at her lap. "Thank you," she said quietly.

"But yes," Lupin sighed. "I am Moony. I didn't want the other students to think I had a favorite student, so I signed it with an old nickname of mine. You see, I saw the camera when I was roaming around Hogsmeade shortly after term ended, and I thought you would enjoy it. I tried to charm it myself, but the charm proved tricky. It wasn't until I asked Professor Flitwick did it finally work the way I wanted it to."

"Well, thank you," Katrina told him quickly, glancing up at his smiling face. "I really, really do love it — actually, all my friends love it. Which leads to my next question . . ."

"More?" Lupin laughed quietly. "I'm afraid it sounds like you're interrogating me."

Katrina blushed again, fiddling with the hem of her robes. "W-well, I don't mean to be, i-if you don't want to worry about it then I can —"

"It's fine," Lupin smiled. "Go on."

"R-right, well," Katrina sucked in a breath. "I'm actually quite sure about the answer now, or at least more than before. You see, my friends — Fred, George, and Lee — they seemed to . . . _recognize_ your nickname, sir. They told me of this thing that had Moony on it, along with three other names, a-and I sort of made connections from there . . . ."

Lupin stared at Katrina. It was a thoughtful, analyzing gaze that made Katrina stiff. She knew what he was doing — deciding whether or not he should lie.

"So they did have the map," he said finally, and Katrina sighed deeply in relief.

"Yes," she nodded. "They really look up to you, you know . . . not that they'd admit it if they knew it was you. I told them my suspicions, and also how you were friends with Sirius Black and the others . . ."

"They were understandably upset," Lupin frowned as Katrina nodded. Sighing, he rose from his seat as the kettle whistled, signaling the tea was ready.

"But yes," he said as he poured the tea into cups, "Sirius Black was a Marauder — Padfoot."

"They won't be happy to hear that," Katrina said quietly as Lupin handed her her tea. Sighing, he sat down again.

"Careful, it's hot," he mumbled as she slowly took a sip.

The both of them were quiet for a while, drinking tea and thinking things over. Professor Lupin had that same, thoughtful look plastered on his face.

"I don't think you should tell them," he mumbled after a few moments. Katrina shot him a confused look. "It would wound them, probably, to see a role model as a present-day murderer . . . . though _why_ anybody would look to us as role models . . . ."

Katrina chuckled a bit with him this time. "They're very mischievous, the twins. Just last night they took me to the Restricted Section —" but she stopped short, mentally slapping herself. Lupin was a _teacher,_ how dumb could she get?

"Did they?" Lupin laughed, raising his eyebrows. "Never thought you to be the mischievous type."

"I-I'm not in trouble?" she squeaked, and he laughed again.

"If you ask me," he said, "the Restricted Section isn't anywhere near as horrible as the things I did in my day. There's no harm in a little reading."

Katrina sighed yet another sigh of relief. "Thank Merlin . . . ."

"By what I've heard," Lupin continued as he finished off his tea, "the twins are mischief-makers to the extreme. I believe McGonagall told me that they could give my friends and I a 'run for our money.' "

Katrina laughed. "I wouldn't know, Professor," she chortled into her hand. "I've only ever seen one of their pranks up close, and it was only a bunch of fireworks in the dungeons."

"Ah," Lupin nodded, "Professor Snape was quite mad about that."

"I can imagine why," Katrina snickered lightly. "Filibuster's can make quite the mess. I think they were whispering about filling one with soap once, and blowing it up over Snape's — oh, excuse me — Professor Snape's head."

Professor Lupin seemed to be suppressing his own chuckles. Shaking his head with a single, quiet laugh, he said, "Yes, yes, I can see why he complains about them so much . . . ."

Katrina finished her tea, lightly placing her cup on the desk with a smile. Lupin rose and took the cups, placing them in his seat before charming them to wash themselves and returning looking a bit more serious.

"You don't happen to know if the twins or Lee still have the map, do you?" he asked worriedly. Katrina frowned in thought.

"They don't," she said after a moment. "Lee said that they 'didn't have it anymore anyways.' "

"Good, good," Lupin mumbled with a nod. "It could be very dangerous if the map was in the wrong hands . . . . Sirius knows how to use it well."

"It could help him get into the castle," Katrina mumbled in understanding, and Lupin nodded again.

"Anyways, Katrina," he told her as he sat down again, "you probably need to get back to lunch. Classes will be starting again soon."

"Oh, right!" Katrina said, standing up abruptly and slinging her bag over her shoulder. She had stayed much longer than she had meant to. "I'll see you tomorrow, Professor?"

"And my surprise," he chuckled as the chest gave another rattling leap. Katrina eyed it again worriedly, but smiled nonetheless.

"Thank you for the tea, Professor Lupin," she told him, and Lupin nodded.

"Of course." he told her just as she slipped through the door.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

* * *

_Holy poops do you see that? CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. EIIIIGHHHHTEEEEEENNNN. Whoa man.  
_

_Looks like we've been up for a whole month! Wow. Actually, we have been for a while, but you know. Glubshrug.  
_

_Gosh I think I have a soft spot for Lupin :'D poor baby smooches his face  
_

_anyways next chapter will include Fred and Katrina's date and sappy confessions o; o; o; o;  
_


	19. GRYFFINCLAW

"Today, class," Lupin told his first period, "we're going to be reviewing how to defend yourselves against a Boggart."

The class muttered excited sounds of interest. Katrina, however, frowned. She had suspicions that the rattling chest held a Boggart ever since the day before, and to say the very least, she was not delighted.

"Now, can anyone tell me what a Boggart does?" Professor Lupin asked. Lee raised his hand quickly, standing on tiptoe so he could be seen from behind the twins. "Yes, Lee?"

"A Boggart can turn into the thing you fear most!" he declared with a grin, and Lupin nodded.

"Correct! As you all know, Boggarts prefer dark, closed spaces — a Hufflepuff Seventh Year told me this one has been in his chest since before Christmas. I thought it would be excellent to refresh your memories a little. Katrina, what finishes a Boggart?"

Katrina jumped. The class immediately turned to look at her, and her first instinct was to curl her hands together. But she didn't, and instead raised her chin in some confidence facade, and said, "Laughter, Professor."

"Right! Very good," Lupin winked and she sighed deeply as the class turning back to the professor. Fred, George, and Lee snickered lightly at Katrina, who swiftly hit the closest twin's shoulder with a frown.

"Take out your wands," Lupin said. The classroom sounded with the rustling of robes as students pulled out her wands. "Repeat after me — _Riddikulus!_"

"_Riddikulus!_" the class replied enthusiastically. Katrina gave a very stiff wave of her wand.

"Wonderful," Lupin smiled. "Now, for the hard part — who wants to volunteer for the first go?"

The boys waved their hands enthusiastically, Lee fighting to climb the twins' shoulders to be seen. Fred and George shoved him off rather easily, jumping up on the balls of their feet.

Professor Lupin gave a chuckle, but looked them over. Instead, he peered to the back of the crowd, where Amelia was raising her small, dainty hand.

"Amelia!" he said, waving her up. "Very good, very good. I suppose you know what to do then?"

"Yes, sir," Amelia replied as she skipped through the crowd and to the front. "I imagine the thing I fear the most — which is thunder, sir — and think of it being funny! Then I wave my wand and — _Riddikulus!_" she gave an airy wave of her wand. Lupin chuckled.

"Exactly. Are you ready?" he asked, cautiously moving over to the chest, which jolted to life.

"Absolutely!" Amelia grinned. Lupin gave a curt nod and snapped the chest open.

Out poured billowing black clouds from the innards of the chest, creeping over Amelia's head. They flashed with miniature jolts of lightening and thunder boomed so loudly many students covered their ears. Amelia, however, stood tall and sturdy, even though there was a terrified expression plastered on her face. Whatever cheery disposition she had before vanished within an instant.

Raising her wand, she called, "_Riddikulus!_"

The thunderclouds suddenly erupted in an echoing sound of flatulence. The class roared with laughter as the clouds seemed to convulse. Lupin chortled, patting Amelia on the shoulder and looked over the other students.

"Form a line!" he called. "We'll all get a turn!"

And so the lesson continued. Fred was sure to push Katrina in front of him, eager to see what her Boggart was. She, however, was horrified.

The Boggart leaped from wolf to puppy, fire-breathing dragon to bubble-spitting reptile, and Yeti to snowman. As Alicia sputtered _Riddikulus_ in front of her, Katrina gave a squeak. The python on the floor inflated into a bright-green balloon. Lee laughed from behind the twins, who eagerly pushed Katrina forward as Alicia jerkily walked away. She faced the Boggart, knowing full well just what it was going to become.

The balloon stretched and darkened considerably. Taller and taller it rose as its head took shape, burning silver. Black robes fell to the ground as the Boggart took in deep, ragged breaths, raising a wand to Katrina's terror-stricken face.

"_AVADA KE—_"

The Boggart screeched as Fred roughly pushed Katrina away, allowing her to sink to the floor. She didn't look up to see the Death Eater change form — she could hardly see anything at all between her tightly-shut eyelids. One image was burning through her mind like wildfire, and no matter how much she wished it to go away, it continued on.

Swiftly pulling the hood of her robes over her face, Katrina gave a high-pitched (or higher than normal) squeak.

_Mouse._

Mrs. Weasley's screams reverberated through the classroom ten times their normal volume. Fred and George audibly groaned from above Katrina, and the latter of them muttered, "_Riddikulus!_" Students laughed jovially as Mrs. Weasley sprouted hairy green boils, screeching all the way. And then, with a loud pop, she exploded into wisps of silvery smoke.

"Brilliant!" Lupin called as he rushed to Katrina, who had her knees clamped closely to her chest on the floor. "Ten points to every Gryffindor and Ravenclaw who approached their Boggart! Er — Five to Lee and Katrina —" he fumbled a bit, offering Katrina a hand. She refused it with a rapid shake of her head, pulling her hood farther down on her face.

"Class dismissed!" Professor Lupin said as he knelt beside Katrina. Fred, George, and Lee stayed put as Alicia and Angelina looked worriedly over their shoulders before leaving.

"She's fine," Lupin told the boys quietly. "Go on, she'll be in your next class."

"But —" George started, but stopped abruptly when Katrina gave a whimper.

"Go on," Lupin repeated, placing a hand on her shoulder. Lee gave Katrina a long, worried look, eventually taking the twins' arms and pulling them out of the classroom (much to their displeasure).

For many long minutes, Lupin stared at Katrina's hood-covered face, analyzing and anxious. In the quiet of the empty classroom, he asked, "What is it?"

"D-d-d-def-fense m-m-me-mech-anism," Katrina stuttered in a voice that was much higher than usual.

After multiple sobs from herself, Katrina shoved her hood away. Lupin raised his eyebrows in shock. She could imagine only too well what she looked like. Thin, brown fur over her whole face, scarlet hair, bulging, circular ears. Her robes were hanging limply to her shoulder, three sizes to large, and she could feel a thin tail writhing underneath her bum.

"I-I-I c-can't d-d-d-_do_ animals yet!" she wailed, covering her face with furry hands. "I-I t-turn up l-l-li-ike this!"

"Shh," Lupin whispered reassuringly, "Shh, it's alright — do you need Madam Pomfrey?"

"N-n-no," Katrina sniveled, "I-I-I c-can d-do it m-my-self, b-but i-i-i-it t-takes a wh-ile."

"Take your time," he said. Katrina gave a feeble nod, wiping her nose with her overly-large sleeve.

She was fairly sure that second period had started by the time she had calmed down enough to return to normal. It took her several minutes to get rid of the fur alone, and even longer for the tail and ears. Lupin finally stood her on her feet, where she swayed a bit before growing to her usual tall and lanky self.

"Th-thank you, Professor," she sniffed, sending him a weak smile. Lupin patted her shoulder a bit before returning his hand to his side.

"Not a problem, Katrina," he told her, looking at his watch. "Hurry on now, History of Magic started ten minutes ago."

"Yes, Professor," she replied, shifting her bag on her shoulder and giving him an odd look. She almost wanted to say something else, but she didn't know what. "I'll, um, see you Thursday."

"See you then," Lupin smiled, carefully motioning Katrina to the closed doors. She nodded, sucked in a breath, and exited into the hallway.

* * *

Katrina easily slipped into History of Magic without Professor Binns noticing. The students who weren't snoozing stared at her as she wrung her hands together and sat between a quietly-snoring Lee and a worried George.

"Are you alright?" George whispered. Fred peered at Katrina over his brother's shoulder. He seemed oddly drained of color.

"Fine," her voice cracked. "I'm perfectly fine, just a bit of — er — metamorphosing problems. . . ."

"Metamorphosing?" Fred asked weakly. "Why were you metamorphosing?"

"Nothing, don't worry about it," Katrina told him quickly, pulling out a piece of parchment, a Sugar Quill, and her Colour-Change Ink.

George frowned deeply. "Are you really that scared of Death Eaters?"

Katrina flinched, blotching her parchment with a dot of purple ink.

"Who isn't?" she laughed nervously. "They're bloody terrifying!"

Fred frowned deeper than George. He made to reach over their desk and take hold of Katrina's hand, but she yanked it away.

"Really, I'm fine!" she told them shrilly. They were completely unconvinced.

As the day rolled on, though, the twins (and Lee, once he was awake) let it go. The rest of the week was mercifully normal, and Katrina spent the majority of her extra time either in the Gryffindor Tower or learning (in great detail) about all of the secret passageways in Hogwarts. She borrowed multiple books from the library and her own collection of spellbooks to research with. By the time they had left Double Potions on Friday, Fred and George had decided their first official product should be a sort of ill-inducing candy. Katrina agreed, saying it would be simple and easy to disguise.

Even though she wanted to start experimenting right away, Fred declined.

"Why not?" Katrina cocked a confused eyebrow at his devilish face.

"Because," he answered oily, "I'm taking you on a date."

She squeaked. "That's _today?_"

"Yes," he said, slipping his hand into hers. "Right now, actually."

"But —" she began.

"No buts!"

Katrina looked to George, who was smirking broadly. "Help me," she whispered.

"You agreed to it, Trina," he snickered as Fred began to tug her along the corridor.

"Unwillingly!" she shrieked.

"Sounded pretty willing to me!" Lee cackled as Fred pulled her around a corner.

"Oh, no," Katrina groaned as Fred told Salazar Slytherin's portrait its password, hurtling himself down the secret with her in tow. It was incredibly cold, and Katrina had decided to go fur-free ever since Tuesday for obvious reasons. Her teeth clattered loudly as they entered the side-room of the Entrance Hall, where Fred continued to pull her along.

"It's not anything special," he told her over his shoulder as they made for the main doors. "Just a bit of alone time, really."

For something not-special, he certainly did seem excited, Katrina thought.

Fred lead her all the way through the main doors, out of the courtyard, and into the snow-covered grounds. Hagrid's hut was visibly smoking from the chimney and the Forbidden Forest loomed darkly in contrast to the white, deserted mounds of snow.

"Stay here," Fred said, releasing her hand. Katrina stared at him, suspicious. "Close your eyes," he grinned.

"Why?" she asked slowly. He groaned loudly.

"Just _dooooo iiiiit_," he moaned.

"Fine, fine!" she mumbled, smirking as she closed her eyes and folded her arms behind her back. "Better?"

"Very," Fred replied. "Now _stay here._"

"You already said that."

"I know, smartass, I'm letting it sink in!"

Katrina stuck her tongue out at him, immediately regretting it as the cold stung it harshly. Fred snickered quietly to himself, backing away. Katrina could just barely hear the snow crunching under his feet as he got farther and farther away until, eventually, she didn't even know if he was on the grounds anymore.

She knew he wouldn't have deserted her, but anxiety began to grip her insides anyway. It was completely silent. Almost suffocating, really.

"Fred?" she called out quietly, but no reply. "Fred?" Katrina asked a bit louder. There was another crunch, far off in the distance somewhere.

_Crunch. Crunch._ There was a grunt, and then she heard Fred take in a quick breath.

"You can open your eyes now!" he yelled.

Furrowing her brow, Katrina turned in the direction his voice came from and opened her eyes, only to be met by the split-second view of a big, white ball headed directly for her face.

The snowball hit her between the eyes, leaving her momentarily disoriented as Fred roared with laughter. She wiped the snow off of her face with a shaky, cold hand, looking at it in her fingers. Fred had doubled over onto his knees for support, positively howling.

Katrina grinned.

"This means war, Weasley!" she cried, pulling her wand from her robe pocket and pointing it at him. Fred glanced up at her with a mischievous smirk, still chuckling, and pulled out his own wand before straightening again.

"Give me all you've got, Rhinehart! It'll take everything just to aim in my direction!"

Charming snowball after snowball, Katrina and Fred waged war over the grounds of Hogwarts. She was absolutely horrible at dodging, but in all honesty, she didn't mind. Fred gloated about how great he was each time he so much as grazed her; it was a little uplifting.

He was actually hard to hit, though. Fred was either incredibly skilled at diving away from charmed snowballs or Katrina was being purposefully sluggish just so she could hear his triumphant speeches — it didn't really matter. Both of them went dreadfully silent, however, when Fred was hit by one of Katrina's snowballs.

She shot her hands up in the air, whooping loudly. "I did it! I defeated the almighty Fred Weasley! Ha!"

"Oh, woes me," Fred groaned mockingly, slipping to the snowy ground and placing a hand over his heart. "I'm too young to die!"

"More like it took you long enough!" Katrina laughed as she waded through the mounds of snow and to his side, where he sent her a comical scowl. "Only I, the brilliant Katrina Rhinehart, could vanquish such a disgusting beast!"

"Raaaarrrrgh," Fred exclaimed blandly, raising his arms just enough to act like his hands were claws. Katrina giggled before plopping down beside him, staring up at the greyish-white sky.

They stayed like that, splayed out together on the snow, shivering quietly to themselves. Katrina clenched her teeth to keep them from chattering. Even though the cold was beginning to get to her (which it hardly ever did), she thoroughly enjoyed simply relaxing and watching the clouds move silently above.

"Why are you so afraid of Death Eaters?" Fred mumbled after a while.

"Why are you so afraid of your mum?" she retorted slyly. Fred whined.

"I asked first!"

"Blehhhh," Katrina stuck her tongue out again, earning a chuckle from Fred. "If you _must_ know. . . . Some of my earliest memories are of my dad telling me and my mum safety precautions before he went out to work. He was an Auror before what happened to the Potters, you know, so he was hardly ever home . . . when he was, all he would do was finish paperwork and rush around the house, muttering to himself. He always told me to hide should a man in a cloak and a mask come to our door, and I heard him lots of time whispering to Mum when she would just randomly burst into tears. . . . Alex was just a baby, so he doesn't remember it at all, but it was dreadful. . . . Scared me to death.

"But what about your mum?" she asked, turning her head to Fred. He was giving her an odd look before starting to pout.

"Have you not heard her scream? It's _horrid._ I nearly went deaf one time when I was eight — George and I had slipped a poison into Percy's drink —"

Katrina gasped.

"Oh, don't start," he snapped, "it was hardly fatal."

"_Hardly?_"

"Anyways," Fred passed it over with a roll of his eyes, staring back up at the clouds, "Mum's gotten onto my arse and George's too many times to count. It's a bit hard to dream of a joke business with her going on tangents about how we should be like Bill, or Charlie, or Percy, you know?"

"I suppose," Katrina mumbled, staring absentmindedly back at the sky. "What are your brothers like? Bill and Charlie, I mean," she asked after a while. "I know you said Bill works for Gringotts, and Charlie with dragons, but what about how they did in school and stuff? What houses were they in?"

"Suddenly interested in my family, are you?" Fred laughed. Katrina made a funny sort of frown.

"You're supposed to learn about each other on dates, right? So why not?"

"Guess so," Fred shrugged. "All of us Weasleys are Gryffindors. Bill and Charlie were Head Boy, like Percy. Mum's saying that George and I are gonna be the only ones who don't carry on the tradition, but I don't think Ron's up for it, really. Can you see him as a Prefect?"

"Not really," Katrina laughed.

"Exactly. But yeah, Bill's actually pretty cool. You'd think he'd be like Percy, what with the whole 'working for Gringotts and Head Boy' stuff, but he's not really. He's a Curse-Breaker, you know? We visited him over the summer in Egypt, I think we told you that?"

"Yeah, on the first train ride to school," Katrina nodded.

"We nearly locked Percy in a pyramid," he snickered.

"Charlie's great, too. He's more of an adventurous type, really buff and stuff. He's got this soft spot for animals, though — if you hand him a kitten he'd probably cuddle it to death."

Katrina giggled a little again, rubbing her arms for warmth.

"But dragons are pretty risky. He's got plenty of scars to prove it. He calls them sexy, but he clearly doesn't know the definition of attractive."

"And what might that be?" Katrina joked.

"Me," Fred grinned arrogantly. She smacked him lightly on the chest, laughing a bit with him.

"Hmm," he hummed to himself, knitting his eyebrows together in thought. "What should I ask you then? Hm. . . . Oh!"

Fred turned to Katrina, curiosity sparking in his eyes. "If you've been here all this time at Hogwarts, and you've been in classes with George, Lee, and me for the last four years, how come we didn't recognize you?"

"Ahhhhhh . . ." Katrina laughed nervously, playing with the end of her scarf, "that's a funny question! Ha, ha. . . ."

Fred gave her a serious look.

"Fine, fine, sheesh," she grumbled, turning to look at the lake with a frown. "I've sorta . . . kinda . . . changed each summer . . . so people wouldn't recognize me . . ."

"What?"

She winced, gripping her scarf tighter.

"Why would you do that?"

"Because I was afraid," she mumbled. "I didn't want people to remember the same girl from the year before, so I would change and look completely different. Nobody payed attention to me anyways, so only the teachers, my dorm mates, and Cora noticed . . . they just thought I was doing my regular metamorphosing-thingy, since we're sort of known for that stuff . . . except for Cora, of course, she knows why I did it. . . ."

"You're not gonna do it again, are you?"

Katrina turned to look at Fred, who was giving her both a stern and nervous stare. She cocked her eyebrow.

"It's sort of useless, isn't it? Everybody knows me now, and I don't really mind it like I thought I would. Besides, even if I did, I think I'd keep the hair," she smiled brightly, hoping to ease Fred out of being worried. "I've grown rather fond of this blue, you know."

"Good, it fits you," he told her with a grin. She snickered, slapping his arm lazily.

"Hmph," Katrina sighed, staring at him. "What should I ask you, then?"

Question after question they asked each other, sharing stories of family and adventures, in Fred's case. Eventually, Katrina had one question left, and it wasn't even about him.

"Can I tell you something, Fred?" she asked, teeth chattering loudly as she conjured a small flame, immediately charming it to only warm rather than burn. She scooped it up in her hands, rubbing them together and sighing happily. Fred took a bit of it, laughing.

"Why didn't you do that before?" he asked, and then said, "And yes, you can tell me something — It's not like we haven't been talking about ourselves for the last hour or so."

"Has it really been that long?" Katrina laughed airily to herself, finally feeling a bit warmer. "But," she shuffled, "I sort of feel like I ought to tell you, y'know? I don't really know why, I just think you might . . . like it."

"Get on with it," he chuckled.

"Don't push me," she teased. Sighing, Katrina looked up at the sky, which shone a single sliver of sunlight. "Do you remember our sorting?"

"Absolutely," he chimed. "George and I were immediately placed in Gryffindor."

"And rightfully so," she giggled. "Do you recall mine, though?"

"Um," Fred scrunched his face up in thought. "No, I don't think so. Why?"

"Mine was one of the longest waits," she told him, nodding silently to herself. "The Sorting Hat had quite a time choosing a house for me."

"And why is that?" Fred cocked an eyebrow. Suddenly bashful, Katrina twirled her fingers into knots.

"Well, it said I was . . . sort of . . . two?"

"Two?" Fred frowned. "You can't be two."

"I know, I know, it put me in Ravenclaw for a reason, you dolt," she snapped lightheartedly. "I personally think it was the proper place. . . . I think. . . ."

"It wasn't trying to decide between Ravenclaw and Slytherin, was it?" Fred scowled. Katrina laughed.

"No, no, nothing like that," Katrina turned on her side to Fred, setting the fire between them. "It kept saying how I was fit for Ravenclaw and Gryffindor."

Fred choked on his own spit.

"_It what?_"

"Like I said," she continued, "It put me in Ravenclaw for a reason, so I obviously belong there — I think — but the Sorting Hat said, if I remember right, 'bravery is sometimes found in the most anxious of people.' And then it chastised me, believe it or not, right inside of my own head. Talked about chivalry and things like that, and how well I would fit in with other Gryffindors. I was stubborn at the time, and I looked up to my mum a lot, who was a Ravenclaw. She always made fun of my dad for being a Gryffindor, calling him dumb and things like that. I wanted to be just like her.

"Sometimes I think the Sorting Hat might've put me in the wrong house, though," she sighed, staring at the fire. "I love Ravenclaw, I love what it represents, but I think, at times, Gryffindor is more of a family to me than it."

Fred turned to her with a shrug. "You can be a Ravenclaw and fit in with us. But you know what I think?"

"What's that?"

"I think you may be scared," he smiled a little, almost knowingly. "Scared of your own house. That it'll reject you or something."

"You're an arse," Katrina replied, deadpanned. Fred laughed.

"Ah, so I'm right!" he teased, poking her in the side. "Trina Rhinehart's afraid of her own housemates!"

"Well, how would you feel if you were in my position?" she asked with a small chuckle, shoving his finger away. "Ever since I've entered Hogwarts, I've been worried about whether or not I was sorted into the right place. Proving myself to be a true Ravenclaw was one of my ambitions before, but I didn't want to be too brash and have them shun me for it. So I stayed quiet and did my work, got good grades and things like that. It's much easier to be invisible and accepted than noticed and shunned."

"But then you don't get to be yourself," Fred pointed out. Katrina frowned. "Come on, love, if you were still quiet, d'you think George, Lee, and I would've become your friends?"

"No," she mumbled to herself, curling her legs up to the fire.

"Exactly," Fred grinned victoriously. "I say you should be yourself, and whoever doesn't like you can eat shite. The only people you should care about are the ones who like you for being your brilliant, smartarse self."

And, just like that, realization hit Katrina in the face much like Fred's first snowball had. Why should she care about the people who didn't like her for her? There were plenty of people who already liked her, like Fred, George, Lee, Cora, Angelina, Alicia, and Katie. And, Katrina was sure, the majority of Gryffindor, and maybe even a good portion of her fellow Ravenclaws. Why should she care about being shunned by people who don't matter?

"I'm beginning to fancy that look on you," Fred grinned as Katrina snapped out of it.

"What?" she asked dumbly. He laughed loudly.

"Have you always been so daydreamy?"

Katrina thought for a moment. "Yes."

"It's weird," he snickered. She feigned gasped and slapped his arm again.

"Have you always been so incredibly dimwitted?" she retorted.

"Yes," Fred raised his eyebrows importantly. "I'm a genius compared to you."

"Oh, that was _low_ —"

"Oooh, are we starting this again?" Fred waggled his eyebrows as Katrina laughed, thudding onto her back and holding her stomach.

"No, no, I don't think we should stop this question-and-answer game we've got going," she replied after a while.

"Alright," he said, folding his arms behind his head and into the now-slushy snow. "You go first."

"When's your birthday?"

"That's easy!" Fred grinned. "April first."

"Fitting!" Katrina laughed. "April Fools'! And you and George are Aries," she added as an afterthought.

"We're what?"

"Aries," she chortled. "It's an astrological sign. It's represented by the Aries constellation, and a lot of the times your astrological sign can map out the basics of your personality."

"Is that right?" he grinned. "How does it fit George and I, then?"

"Well, for starters, it's animal is a ram. That means stubborn and hard-headed, which is _definitely_ you and George. Secondly, Aries is the first of the zodiac, so it sorta sees itself as first, you know? Before everyone else. Again, a lot like you, isn't it?"

Fred stuck his tongue out at her in reply.

"What I really mean is that you're a leader," she explained happily, clasping her hands together calmly on her stomach. "You seek adventure, and you're very confident. Lots of people look up to you because of that, and you're really popular, too. Charm, charisma — you've got a lot of stuff like that.

"Aries are also impulsive," she glanced at Fred from the corner of her eye. "And courageous, too. You can run headfirst into things, stupid things, but you've probably got a valiant reasoning behind it."

"Whelp," Fred exclaimed, "that's freaky accurate."

Katrina laughed again. "That's how things tend to work, I think, when it comes to astrological signs."

"What about you, then?" Fred asked. "When's your birthday and astro-whatsit?"

"My birthday's March first," Katrina laughed. "I'm a Pisces."

"Aw," Fred groaned, "you've got the same birthday as Ron!"

"Do I?" Katrina asked with a grin. "Maybe we're like each other, then!"

"Doubt it." Fred frowned. "What's a Pisces, then?"

"Pisces is two fish," she told him. As Fred scoffed, she added, "They're connected by a line. The two fish swim and swim in circles, never able to leave the other. I personally think they represent balance."

"Boring," Fred yawned jokingly. Katrina rolled her eyes again.

"Us Pisces are the twelfth sign of the zodiac, you see, so we're very understanding and empathetic," she explained. "We're also spiritual and we greatly base our decisions on our feelings. We're known to be dreamers and to be secretive, so I suppose you could say we're very mysterious."

"That doesn't sound like Ron at all."

"It doesn't always fit," Katrina laughed lightly. "In my case, you see, it does — but it might not for Ron.

"Anyways," she continued, "we're considered very compassionate and caring. We find ourselves calm when we can think to ourselves, specifically in dreams. It's where we can let go, where we don't have to worry about reality. It's quite nice.

"Pisces are very creative, too, you know. We tend to immerse ourselves with the arts. That's also quite relaxing, almost like dreaming, but not. We're sensitive, and we've probably got over-reactive imaginations. Romance is a popular subject . . ." Katrina shuffled a bit, twisting her hands just the smallest she could manage to secure herself. "But, um, let's not get into that, it's dumb. . . . And, er, I think that's about it."

"Spot-on for you," Fred grinned. Katrina blushed a lot deeper than she should have, mumbling a thank-you under her breath. "How do you know all this stuff?"

"My mum, of course," Katrina laughed a little to herself. "She's an astrology nut."

"Of course she is," Fred chuckled. After a moment, he glanced at Katrina from the corner of his eye. "You know, George and Cora are going out tomorrow."

"Are you suggesting we spy on them?" Katrina asked with a grin.

"Absolutely," Fred snickered as he sat up with her, Katrina extinguishing their warm flames. "But you were the one who suggested it first."

"Then you already know where I stand," she sniggered back as Fred helped her up. Hand-in-hand they sloshed back to the castle, exchanging plans of possible sabotage.

* * *

**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

* * *

_First of all, to clear some things up!  
_

_The "image" that "spreads through Katrina's mind like wildfire" is not actually some sort of cryptic flashback. It's her thinking of a _Mouse! _Hence why "mouse" is in italics and junk o; o;_

_Also, I'm fairly sure some of you have probably noticed by now, but Katrina and Hermione are a lot alike, aren't they?  
_

_I want you all to know that I'm fully aware of this fact, and that this story is going to grow and prove to you all that Katrina is completely different, at the same time! No spoilers though, sorry o; I really don't want to ruin Katrina's personal growth, since that's what the main basis to this story is anyways!  
_

_I feel a little dumb adding in the astrology mumbo-jumbo, since it seems like something totally typical of an OC to say in an OC/Canon fanfiction, but bluh. I sorta wanted you to get an inside look to both Katrina and Fred (and also to see how their astrology signs are perfect wow AND BY THE WAY I HIGHLY SUGGEST YOU LOOK UP PISCES/ARIES (OR ARIES/PISCES?) COMPATIBILITY ON GOOGLE OR SOMETHING the articles are really cute and stuff)  
_

_also no school tomorrow because of ice storm warning so I may or may not get to write a lot o; thanks for the reviews and thingies!  
_


	20. YOU BRING OUT THE BEST IN ME

"Katrina."

Fred poked her side. Katrina groaned loudly, turning into one of the many couches of the Gryffindor common room and stuffing her head into the cushion. The twins had her awake since the earliest hours of the morning, and she had apparently fallen asleep in her seat.

"_Katrina._"

She grunted, slapping Fred's hand away from her back.

"You kept me up all night," she grumbled. "I'll get up when I damn well please."

"George and Cora are already on their date!" Fred whined, slumping onto the small sliver of couch beside her legs.

"Let them be on their date then," Katrina snapped.

"_You're_ the one who wanted to spy on them in the first place!" Fred whispered harshly.

"Yes, that was _before_ you made me recite that potion to you a thousand times at two in the bloody morning!"

"That was George."

"It was the both of you!"

Fred sighed deeply before a wicked grin began to slowly plaster itself onto his face. Katrina was too late when she realized why he was so quiet.

"Fred," she said slowly, "just what are you planning —?"

He suddenly lunged forward, gripping Katrina around the middle so tightly the wind was knocked out of her. As Fred pushed her into the cushions of the couch, he took in a deep breath before bellowing so loudly the Gryffindors still in the common room began to stare.

"RUNNING LIKE A HAIRY TROLL," Fred sang, "LEARNING TO ROCK AND ROLL! SPINNING AROUND LIKE A CRAZY ELF DANCING BY HIMSELF —"

"_Fred!_" Katrina laughed, wriggling from underneath him. He held on tight though, and continued to sing the popular Weird Sisters song.

"BOOGIE DOWN LIKE A UNICORN, NO STOPPING TILL THE BREAK OF DAWN! PUT YOUR HANDS UP IN THE AIR LIKE AN OGRE, JUST DON'T CARE. CAN YOU DANCE LIKE A HIPPOGRIFF? MA MA MA — _OOF!"_

Fred and Katrina toppled onto the floor, where they both erupted in a fit of laughter. They were most definitely getting odd looks by now.

"Flyin' off —" Fred laughed, "— from a cliff, ma ma — _hah_, oh god — ma ma ma — I can't —"

"You're an idiot," Katrina giggled, lightly elbowing him in the chest.

"Sing with me, Trina!" Fred chortled, rolling onto his back and shoving her shoulder into his chest. "C'mon, it's not hard — _Swoopin' down to the ground, _ma ma ma, ma ma ma, ma ma ma —"

"No," Katrina laughed. "No, I'm not going to sing! Gerroff you dolt! Gerroff!"

"Not until you sing for me, love!" Fred cried dramatically. A few of his housmates snickered from their seats.

"I don't want to," Katrina said in a slightly quieter, more anxious giggle. He wasn't actually going to make her, was he?

"Oi!" Lee called from the table he was sitting at with Angelina and Katie. "Let Trina breath, Fred, your fat arse is probably suffocating her!"

"My arse isn't fat!" Fred laughed, sliding his arms back to his sides as he sat up. "It's finely toned!"

The Gryffindors laughed quietly to themselves as Katrina also sat up, rubbing her sides.

"About as finely toned as a troll's arse, I'd say," she quipped. Fred shot her a look while Lee clapped a hand over his mouth to keep himself from belting loud chuckles.

"And how would you know?" Fred waggled his eyebrows. "Have you been watching me undress, Trina? Are you that squeaky mouse I hear when I settle into bed?"

"No," Katrina giggled, and although her cheeks didn't burn, her hair turned bright lavender.

"_Oh, look at his bum!_" Fred squeaked in an incredibly high voice, slapping his hand onto his chest and fluttering his eyelids. "_It's so perfect! Sculpted by the gods!_"

"Bugger off," she shoved him with her shoulder. Although she didn't put much force to it, Fred flopped onto the ground and splayed himself out comically.

"See what you've done?" Fred sniffed haughtily. "You've knocked me over! Shame on you, Katrina, _shame on you._"

"Now help me up," he said after a few moments of quiet chuckling. Fred held out his hand in Katrina's direction, grasping air as he fought to catch her arm.

"Why don't you use your _finely toned_ arse to get up?" Katrina countered. Her hair turned blue again.

Fred pouted. "Because I want to save my energy for later."

"And what are you doing later?" she cocked an eyebrow with a grin.

"We're going to be banging later tonight," Fred winked as Katrina turned magenta all over. "What, did you forget our arrangements? Broom closest, third floor, right after curfew and no stopping until breakfast —"

"Is that why you bring her in here, Fred?" a sixth year boy asked as his friends whistled and hooted loudly. "So you can bang her when we're not looking?"

"No!" Katrina squeaked. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't fight the smile cracking at the corners of her mouth.

"Nah," Fred said as he pushed himself back up. "She's got a kink for broom closests, so we shag in them."

"_Ooh,_" the sixth year cooed. Katrina covered her face with her hands, laughing a lot more than she probably should have. "A _Ravenclaw_ with a _kink._ Talk about quirky."

"I don't have a kink," Katrina said through her fit of giggles.

"She also reads a lot of erotic romance novels," Fred whispered loud enough for the whole room to hear.

"_Erotic romance novels!_" Katrina screeched. "Oh my — _Merlin's knickers!_ — Oh dear — Ha! — I read erotic romance novels — ha, ha — as much as your read — those dirty witch magazines!"

"Must be every night then," Fred winked.

The common room erupted with jovial laughter, chuckling, and giggles.

"You're _horrible!_" Katrina howled, falling onto her back and pressing her knees into her chest.

"That's probably true," he said as he leaned in beside her. He then whispered, "We really ought to go if we're gonna tail George and Cora."

"Right, right," Katrina giggled, standing up with Fred's help. "Have you any idea what they're doing?"

"No, I told you," Fred laughed quietly, throwing his arm over her shoulders and leading her to the portrait hole, "George didn't tell me anything in fear of sabotage."

"Ah, right, yes," Katrina nodded with a smirk.

"Where are you going now?" Katie cried curiously from behind them.

"To the nearest broom closet!" Fred yelled from over his shoulder, jumping with Katrina out into the corridor.

* * *

"They're being rather boring," Katrina whispered, smashed up against Fred in their tiny secret passage between the portraits of an old, haggish looking witch on the fifth floor to the third.

"We're not very good at dates," Fred grunted, squeezing forward just enough to poke his head through the small sliver open to the corridor. "They've turned the corner, c'mon."

Taking a light hold of Fred's elbow, Katrina carefully stepped out of the passageway, making sure not to trod on either of their feet (because she had done so multiple times before). Fred gave her an amused look as she glanced down each side of the corridor, sighed, and gripped the fabric of his sweater just a bit tighter.

"Do you fancy my jumper?" he asked in a pleased way.

"Huh?" Katrina asked, giving him an odd look before raising her eyebrows considerably. "Oh! Oh, no, it's just — I sort of. . . ." she trailed off, releasing his sleeve and twirling her fingertips together instead.

"Well," Fred sighed with a roll of his eyes, taking Katrina's hand in his and leading her down the hall, "somebody has to like it."

"Y-you don't?" she asked, sucking in a quick breath and following as promptly as she could. Her fingers twitched, desperately wanting to grab her other hand and wring them both. If Fred noticed he didn't show it, but he did slip his fingers between hers as he peeked around the corner.

"They were great the first twelve-or-so years," he chuckled quietly, "but after a while, you begin to think your mother's afraid you forget which twin you are." Fred motioned to the big, golden F knitted onto his sweater with a smirk.

Katrina furrowed her eyebrows together in thought.

"Damn," Fred whispered, "I've lost them. I bet they were headed to that empty classroom, it's just a few turns away —"

"What's it like, having a twin?" Katrina asked abruptly.

Fred looked at her, confused and somewhat bewildered. "Come again?"

"I mean," she shuffled her feet, squeezing his hand to comfort herself more than anything, "I-I don't have a twin, obviously, so I wouldn't know, but . . ."

Frowning in thought, Fred shrugged. "It's . . . it's sort of like . . . I don't know, really?" he laughed. "I've never been asked that before, believe it or not. But George and I," he shrugged again, leading Katrina around the corner with a small tug, "we've been together since birth, of course, so it's like we're brothers twofold. We're best mates, nearly in synch — sometimes we even _are_ in synch, which is pretty cool, if I do say so myself —"

"Very cool," Katrina added with a smile. Fred grinned.

"Thank you. But like I was saying, I've been granted a brother and a mate since the womb, and him looking exactly like me is certainly a bonus."

"That's sweet," Katrina joked. Fred jokingly bumped into her shoulder, clasping her hand the slightest bit tighter.

"Believe it or not," he chuckled, "I can be quite endearing."

"You mean, between all the insults and your incredibly large ego, you're actually _sensitive?_" Katrina laughed quietly.

"Maybe," Fred smiled charmingly.

"Show me, then," Katrina raised her chin expectantly. "Show me just how _sensitive_ you are."

"Hmm," Fred smirked, squinting his eyes a little. "Ask me that in a year or two, and then we'll see if you can handle my smolder."

"Oh," Katrina giggled. "Your _smolder._ Should I be afraid?"

"Shaking in your knickers," Fred snickered.

"_Ugh._"

Katrina jumped, swiveling around on her heel and pulling Fred with her by the arm. There, out from behind the tapestry they just passed, was George, Cora giggling behind him.

"They're flirting again," George groaned lightheartedly to Cora, who was grinning so widely Katrina could see all her teeth from where she stood.

"Oh, I _knew_ you would follow us," she shrieked. "You're too devious when you're together!"

Katrina moaned quietly to herself, raising her free hand to cover her eyes. Fred gave her hand another squeeze before pulling her into his chest.

"Trina, they've done it!" he cried loudly. "They've figured us out! Oh, Trina, how will we ever go on? Our careers as date-stalkers are ruined!"

"Now you can focus on your _actual careers,_" George grinned. "Or have you already forgotten, Katrina?"

"Forgotten what?" Cora piped, bouncing between the twins and Katrina curiously.

"We've dubbed Katrina here —" George started as Fred pryed Katrina's hands off of her smiling face.

"— Co-co-administrator of Weasleys' Mischief-Making Wizarding Devices."

"_Oh?_" Cora inquired, shoving her face uncomfortably close to Katrina's with her eyebrows raised, smiling broadly. "Is that so? Don't tell me you're going to be making _pranks,_ Katrina?"

"What happened to Weasley & Weasley Incorporated?" Katrina asked with a laugh, playfully pushing Cora away.

"We haven't decided on a name yet," Fred and George chorused while Cora squealed in delight.

"Oh, you _are!_ That's excellent! Look at you, Katrina, breaking out of your shell and doing something you'll enjoy!" she shrieked, hugging Katrina so tightly she might as well have been slammed between two brick walls (Fred wasn't exactly letting her go).

"I — like — Weasley & Weasley," Katrina choked with a wheezy laugh. "It's got — a nice — ring to it!"

"We'll see," Fred and George both said.

"Just promise me one thing," Cora said as she finally let go of Katrina.

"What's that?" Katrina breathed, laughing airily at the funny-looking serious face Cora was trying to pull off.

"Don't go and get yourself into detention every other day!" Cora said, forgetting about being stoic and allowing the corners of her mouth to twitch upwards in a grin.

"Nah," Fred laughed, crossing her arms atop Katrina's head and resting his chin on them.

"We'll just get her into detention _every_ day." George continued.

"Or something along the lines of that," Fred smirked, tousling her blue hair into her face.

"Very funny," Cora giggled, slipping in beside George again and sliding her arm between his elbow.

"Anyways, mate," he said to Fred, "we really must be going. I've got a special lunch planned for Cora here, and I would appreciate it if you didn't watch my every move."

"Right-o," Fred grinned. As Katrina smiled lopsidedly and pushed her hair away from her eyes, he slid his arm down her head and around her shoulders, leaving the other at his side.

"Be appropriate," George waggled a finger with a smirk.

"No promises," Fred smirked back. The four of them all laughed a bit to themselves before George and Cora turned and disappeared back into their tapestry, which Katrina was sure lead to somewhere near the kitchens.

"By all this — _sugestive_ talk," Katrina snorted, "we'll be banging by seventh year."

"Does that mean you want to shag me?" Fred snickered, planting a kiss on her temple as they turned around on the heels of their shoes.

"Not in the slightest," she retorted coolly.

"You're weird," he laughed after a moment.

"Why? Because I don't want to shag you?" Katrina grimaced. "You can't tell me you're so self-centered that you think _every_ girl wants to shag you?"

"No," Fred laughed, furrowing his eyebrows with a wide smile. "You're weird because of how you act. For a week or two you'll be the shyest, most paranoid git on the planet and then one day you'll turn into this — this —" he waved his hand vaguely around Katrina's body.

"Lost for words, are we?" she cocked a challenging eyebrow. But in the back of her head, there was that tiny, worried voice whispering; _I'm not really a shy, paranoid git all the time . . . am I?_

"See!" Fred laughed, bumping his hip into hers. "You get all smart-mouthed and cocky! If I didn't know any better," he waggled his eyebrows, "I'd say I was rubbing off on you."

"I don't think so," Katrina scrunched up her face comically.

"No?" Fred asked, bumping her hip again.

"No," she laughed, jutting her hip into his. Fred raised his eyebrows high atop his forehead.

"Let's say . . ." Katrina thought, tilting her head back and looking at the vaulted ceiling as they walked down the corridor, "you bring out the best in me." She lolled her head onto his shoulder and grinned.

"Ah, yes," Fred laughed, looking down at her from the corner of his eye. "That sounds much better."

* * *

January quickly turned into February. Over the beginning four weeks of the second term, Katrina stayed up late, procrastinated on all of her homework until the last minute, fell asleep at least four times in the Gryffindor common room, and developed nearly a hundred photographs of multiple different things. She had even snapped a few photos of some exploding fireworks Fred and George had rigged in Snape's office. Katrina joined the twins in three more detentions, two of which because Filch had caught them out after curfew and the other because Katrina had taken Snape's picture the day his office was blown into pieces. In all honesty, she was having the most fun in her life.

Quidditch, however, had not gone well. About halfway through January, Slytherin narrowly defeated Ravenclaw in the latest match. Katrina was both miffed and a little worried; this meant the next match would be against her own house and Gryffindor. Although she was sure she was going to root for Ravenclaw (there was no question, really), what really got to her was the thought of Gryffindor winning and Fred, George, and Lee dragging her to the afterparty.

Katrina's visits with Professors Trelawney and Lupin grew more and more constant. During her lunch Divination sessions, two other Gryffindor girls had come to join her — Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. Now they decided to run up to her whenever they saw Katrina in their common room, blabbering on about "signs" and whatnot. It was incredibly bothersome. Professor Lupin was a sort of patron to reality at this point, which Katrina was very grateful for. The two of them had become rather close, not that she would ever tell the boys — they'd never let her hear the end of it.

"Alright," Katrina mumbled from the Gryffindor common room, sitting at a table with the twins. Lee was talking with Angelina again (Katrina had the rising suspicion that Angelina kept turning down his date requests — Lee, of course, was much too stubborn to stop asking her anyways) and Alicia and Katie were talking to an attractive boy a little ways away that Fred called "McLaggen" with a bit of a grumble. He and George had seen this as a perfect opprotunity to plan their first product.

Katrina sucked on the tip of her Sugar Quill thoughtfully. "So a Swelling Solution?"

"Yes," George said with a grin. "We'll put it in some sort of candy, like we were talking about before, and it'll make your tongue swell!"

"Hm," Katrina hummed, jotting down notes in purple ink. "That's a start. But we'll have to make the Swelling Solution oblivious to teeth, so it'll only swell the tongue."

"Right," Fred nodded. "Nothing a charm or two couldn't help."

"_No-swelling-teeth charm,_" Katrina mumbled and she wrote, nodding to herself. "Sounds simple enough. We've all got the stuff for a Swelling Solution in our student Potion-Making packets, so that's good. I don't know where we can brew it, though. . . ."

"We'll find some place," the twins shrugged.

"I suppose the girl's bathroom on the first floor is always deserted," Katrina grimaced, jotting down "Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom" on her parchment.

"That's where the Chamber of Secrets' entrance is," George scowled. "And Moaning Myrtle. We'd best not."

"I agree," Katrina groaned thankfully, scratching out the bathroom.

"We could always use the boathouse," George continued. "Nobody ever goes down there except at the start and end of school."

"That's a good idea," Katrina nodded, writing down the Boathouse in a much more enthusiastic scrawl.

"Don't look now," Fred whispered, grinning as he looked over Katrina's shoulder, "but here comes your fanclub, Katrina."

"Oh, no," she moaned quietly, rolling up her parchment just in time. Lavender and Parvati were at her side in an instant.

"Katrina!" Lavender cried. "Look, Katrina! I spilled ink on my History of Magic essay and it looks like a heart with an arrow through it!"

As Lavender shoved the ink-splattered parchment under Katrina's nose, Parvati said, "What do you think it means, Katrina? Do you think Lavender will find true love soon?"

"Er," Katrina stuttered, blushing a bit as the twins sniggered loudly to themselves. Lavender shot them both a withering look.

"Be quiet," she told them, "you know nothing about Seeing like Katrina, Parvati, and I do!"

"D'you hear that, Trina?" Fred guffawed. "_We know nothing about seeing._"

"I'm pretty sure we can see just fine, thank you," George snorted, looking Lavender up and down. "But the longer you stand there, the more my eyes burn."

Parvati and Lavender gasped loudly. The both of them looked nearly murderous.

"Boys," Katrina told them warningly. Fred and George raised their hands defensively.

"Just speaking the truth, all-Seeing one!" Fred snickered.

"Don't talk to Katrina like that," Parvati snapped.

"I can talk to her any way I want to," Fred retorted. He was getting a little miffed. "I'm the one who snogs her, not you."

Parvati looked stricken. Katrina opened her mouth to say something to Fred, but Lavender cut her off.

"You _what?_" she screeched.

"Nothing!" Katrina said quickly, shoving Lavender her parchment back with a rising hotness in her cheeks. "Absolutely nothing! You'll meet your sweetheart sixth year! Now, if you'll excuse me," she laughed nervously to the twins, standing and turning the girls around to direct them away from their table, "I really must speak with Lavender and Parvati."

"Have fun," Fred grumbled. George rolled his eyes and took Katrina's Sugar Quill and parchment, writing his own notes down.

"How could — why would —" Lavender shrieked quietly as they approached the other wall, looking at Katrina as if she were crazy. "You don't _like_ them, do you?"

"I — well not both — I mean — no," Katrina stumbled. "I sort of — just — I'll get back to you on that?"

"You _snog_ one of them?" Parvati whispered, looking over at Fred and George, who were both mumbling to themselves.

"Well, um," Katrina shuffled her hands around in the air. "Ocassionally?"

"But — but —" Lavender sputtered. "They're so — so —"

" 'So' what?" Katrina asked, suddenly defensive. She looked at Lavender reprovingly.

"So . . . _obnoxious,_" Lavender said after a moment. Katrina snorted.

"Look," she said, folding her arms under he chest, "as much as I — er — appreciate you both looking up to me," _Though I don't really know why you do, _she thought, "I'm about as obnoxious as they are. So _please_ stop looking at me through rose-colored glasses."

"No you're not!" Lavender moaned indignantly, holding her parchment to her chest. "You're a Seer, your Aura pulsates, and you're so beautiful and smart —"

"Hah!" Katrina laughed a single, loud laugh. The twins looked up at her curiously. "Me! Beautiful! Lavender, I can _literally_ make myself follow _your_ standards of beauty! I could be a Veela if I wanted to, for Merlin's sake! And I'm not a bloody Seer, I can just — I just get lucky!"

"Lucky!" Parvati cried. "_Lucky!_ Katrina, you saw fireworks in a crystal ball a few weeks ago, and the next day, Snape's office blew up! _You can See!_"

"I can not," Katrina said sternly. "I'm not a Seer, my 'Aura' doesn't 'pulsate', and just because I'm a bit brighter than the average third year doesn't mean I've got bragging rights. _I _helped plant the fireworks in Snape's office! I took bloody pictures of it!"

"No," Parvati shook her head, eyes wide in disbelief. "You can't have!"

"Oh, but she did," Fred laughed, slipping in beside Katrina and slinging his arm over her shoulder.

"You should see Snape's face in the photo, really," George chided, doing the same as his brother and nearly making Katrina slouch under the weight of both their arms. She frowned. "His eyes are nearly popping out of his head, it's brilliant."

"You're not helping," Katrina mumbled, unfolding her arms as the girls looked crossly up at the twins.

"But you're a _Ravenclaw!_" Parvati pleaded after a moment, looking back at Katrina. "My twin, Padma, she's a Ravenclaw, too! And she never does anything obnoxious —"

"Does Trina look anything like your sister?" George asked, waving his other hand over Katrina's face. "Well, I suppose she could, but metaphorically."

"What's going on here?" Percy asked as he waltzed over, cocking an eyebrow. Fred and George groaned loudly.

"Percy, help me," Katrina moaned. Percy's ears might have turned the slightest bit pink. "Your brothers are antagonizing these two and they're too stubborn to let it go."

"We are not —" both the girls and the twins started, but Percy placed himself between them.

"Alright, alright," he said importantly. "Just let it go, girls, I'm sure Fred and George didn't mean it. And even if they did, you've no need to argue with them. You'll get absolutely nowhere."

"Oh, come on, Perce," Fred moaned. "We were just playing with them!"

"You don't _play_ with other students," Percy said testily, ushering Lavender and Parvati away from Katrina, Fred, and George before they could counter.

"Sure you do," George shrugged. "They're whiny and annoying. That's a lot more to play with than a toy broom."

Percy gave Fred and George a look.

"What?" Fred asked.

"George —" Percy sighed to Fred, but was interrupted by the actual George.

"What?" he asked.

Percy looked between the twins, confused, before shaking his head with a sigh. "Just stop starting trouble," he said simply.

"That's impossible," Fred and George grinned together.

"Sorry Percy," Katrina made a feeble attempt at an apologetic smile as he looked at her, begging for help. "If you can't stop them, neither can I."

Sighing deeply and pinching the bridge of his nose, Percy said, "All I can say is that I'm incredibly happy this is the last year I have to deal with your antics at school."

"Love you too, Perce," Fred said brightly. Percy, apparently too tired to continue the conversation, turned around and walked away with a frown.

"I can't believe he didn't say anything about you being here," George snickered quietly as he and Fred lead her back to their table.

"I suppose he's grown used to me," Katrina shrugged, sitting down again and sucking on the tip of her Sugar Quill and she unrolled her parchment. George had doodled tiny, stick-figured Lavenders and Parvatis, both looking rather ugly and deformed. Raising an eyebrow and looking up at him, George only grinned and sat down beside her.

"Or he's trying to make up to you," Fred sniggered as he took the seat across from Katrina. "You know, for being an arse."

"I was being overreactive," Katrina sighed, scribbling out George's drawings and doodling much nicer things in the margins.

"Maybe a bit," George joked. "But he was still being an arse."

"Yes, well," Katrina laughed, "if you two were nicer to him, maybe he would have believed you in the first place."

"No, he's too much of a prick," Fred shook his head.

"You and your siblings," Katrina mumbled, smiling. "Do you all fight?"

"A good lot of the time," George nodded. "But sometimes we coexist."

"I don't think I could ever fight with Alex," Katrina said. "Not seriously, anyways."

"What about your other brother?" Fred smirked. "What was his name again? Timmy?"

"Just Tim," Katrina laughed. "Or Timothy, if you want to be formal. But he's only two, so of course I don't argue with him."

"Oh," Fred and George frowned thoughtfully. "That's just weird."

"It's not weird, it's healthy," Katrina corrected them playfully.

"No," George chuckled.

"It's just weird." Fred finished with a resolved nod.

"You two are the weird ones," Katrina's eyes twinkled a bit as she made random scribbles on her parchment.

"Thank you," the twins chorused again.

Suddenly, the portrait door swung open. Katrina looked to see who it was out of habit more than anything, but gasped, as did many other students. Fred and George grinned so widely you'd think their birthday had come early. There was their younger brother, that one Neville boy, and Harry Potter, holding what could only be the fastest racing broom in the world.

"_Is that a Firebolt?_" Katrina gaped, watching as many Gryffindors stood from their seats and hoarded around Harry and his friends as they entered.

"Yep," George said giddily, standing up with Fred. Katrina followed soon after, hoping to get a closer look.

Many younger and older students were asking Harry about his Firebolt, like if they could ride it or if he had ridden it yet. Katrina wondered just where he got it, but didn't get the time to ask.

"Ravenclaw'll have no chance," Lee said merrily, "they're all on Cleansweep Sevens!"

"Oi!" Katrina laughed, tugging the hood of his robes. Lee turned around and looked at her, bewildered for a moment, before smiling apologetically.

"Sorry, Katrina. But you really don't, not when we've got a _Firebolt!_"

For the next ten or so minutes, Harry allowed the common room to pass his Firebolt around. When Katrina was handed it from Fred and George, she marveled at its handle a bit, and then at the perfectly-aligned twigs at its other end.

"Alex will be _so_ jealous of me," she told the twins as she passed it on to Angelina.

"Just don't tell him about it before the match," George whispered. "It's supposed to be a secret. If Oliver finds out you know, he'll go ballistic."

"You mean I can't brag about it?" Katrina joked. "I've just held a _Firebolt_ in my hands, and I can't brag about it?"

"Nope," the twins said.

"You'll just have to wait until after we win," Fred winked.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER TWENTY**

* * *

_Holy poops guys. Holy poops. Chapter Twenty!__ I've never written to a Chapter Twenty in my life!  
_

_Granted, it's been quite a short life so far. But you get my point!  
_

_Sorry this one took longer to write. (A whopping one week, whoa. Seriously, Wolfy, where have you been all this time?) I went through a bit of a slightly-depressed, I suppose you could call it, funk. I was not happy with how I was writing because Katrina seemed, thought, and acted like a very, very typical Harry Potter OC. It aggravated me because she's really, really not — Katrina's incredibly complex and well-rounded, in my opinion, but I can't really show you that because (number one) she hasn't fully matured yet and (for two) it would make for a horrible story if she acted like she does in her seventh year and doesn't grow at all!  
_

_I actually wrote the beginning of this chapter twice. The first time I wasn't happy with it, and this time I wasn't either — but I do like this one better. In all truth, the third part of it is my favorite. I think I found my gumption again!  
_

_Sorry for the long Author's Note, but I just wanted to tell you all why I took a bit longer this time! Thank you c:  
_


	21. THE MOST BRILLIANT IDEA

"Oh, Hermione, it's alright!" Katrina tried to comfort the poor girl the next day, "Ron'll get over it, it was just a rat!"

"But he thinks _Crookshanks_ ate him! He couldn't have!" Hermione said angrily. "That fur could've been there since Christmas!"

Katrina looked at Hermione sympathetically, lightly rubbing her shoulder. "There was blood on his sheets, Hermione."

"Scabbers could've bit himself!" Hermione said.

"Hermione," Katrina whispered, "it's perfectly normal for a cat to chase or eat a rat. If Crookshanks did it, it was an honest mistake."

"But he didn't!" Hermione wailed. "I know he didn't! But now Ron's mad at me, and Harry probably is, too, and we were _just_ talking again! Now they're never going to talk to me again, all because I told Professor McGonagall about the Firebolt and she stripped it down, and then because of Scabbers going missing! I bet he hasn't even looked under the beds in his dorm for him!"

"Oh, Hermione," Katrina mumbled again, rubbing her back. "I'm sure Harry will still talk to you, don't worry! He's very reasonable, by what I've been told. . . . And Ron'll come around, you'll see. I'll try and make him see reason, alright?"

"You don't have to," Hermione muttered, wiping her nose aggravatedly. "Ron's an idiot if he honestly thinks Crookshanks would have eaten Scabbers. . . . He was sick, for Pete's sake!"

"Who's Pete?" Katrina asked automatically, but shook her head as Hermione gave her a weird look. "I-I mean, come on, Hermione, he's your friend — you obviously don't think he's that much of an idiot, do you?"

Hermione sniffed. "I suppose not," she said quietly. "But it's still so rude of him!"

"It's rude of anybody to blow up like that," Katrina shrugged, remembering the night before. Ron had gone up to his dorm to put Harry's Firebolt away and ended up finding the remains of Scabbers on his bedsheet. To be completely honest, Katrina thought Hermione's cat did eat the poor rat, but for the sake of being considerate she wasn't going to tell Hermione that.

"Oh," Hermione moaned to herself in nearly a whisper, "If only I had put Crookshanks in my dormitory, then I would have proof! He simply _couldn't_ have eaten Scabbers . . . he wouldn't have!"

"I believe you," Katrina lied, hoping that she seemed at least somewhat truthful. "Tell you what, I'm gonna go and talk to Ron. He's just a trifle distressed, I think. Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," Hermione sniffed again, wiping her eyes free of tears threatening to drop. "I-I think I'm going to visit Hagrid, I haven't seen him in a while. . . ."

"Okay," Katrina nodded, raising from her seat with Hermione. "I'll see you later, Hermione."

"Right," Hermione agreed. "Thanks. . . ."

"No problem," she smiled, lightly patting Hermione's shoulder before she turned away and searched for Ron.

Above the heads of a pleading Lee and a very amused-looking Angelina was a group of redheads, three of them quite tall and the last a bit short. Katrina approached them and just caught the last bit of Fred's speech to Ron.

"His finest hour," Fred smiled a widely. "Let the scar on Goyle's finger stand as a lasting tribute to his memory. Oh, come on, Ron, get yourself down to Hogsmeade and buy a new rat, what's the point of moaning?"

Ron seemed incredibly downcast. Katrina gave Fred and George both a look before coming up to him. Ron, much to her surprise, glared at her from under his fringe.

"And what do you want?" he asked. "Come to tell me it wasn't Crookshanks' fault? I saw you talking to Hermione. . . ."

"Ron," Katrina groaned, already aggravated, "stop acting like such a sourpuss. I know you were fond of Scabbers, but he might not even be dead! He might have just — just — I don't know — bit himself while cleaning or something! And then ran off somewhere!"

"Then what about the hairs?" Ron asked loudly. "There were orange hairs on my bedsheet! That bloody cat ate him!"

"Those could've been there since forever ago," Katrina snapped. Ron looked nearly surprised for a moment, but then angry again.

"You _are_ siding with her!" he shouted in fury. "Her cat ate Scabbers, the proof's all there on my bedsheet! But you're _siding with her!_"

"Ron, listen," Katrina said dangerously. Fred and George grimaced to each other. "I think as much as you do that Crookshanks ate Scabbers, but getting this mad over it is barmy. She's just as tore up about it as you because she thinks she's lost not only you as a friend, but Harry, too." She spared a glance at Harry, who looked a bit uncomfortable. "I don't know what nonsense she was spluttering about with Harry's Firebolt, but whatever it was, you were apparently just getting over. I think she's distressed and worried because you're a really close friend of hers, aren't you? And she doesn't want to loose you."

"You're wrong," Ron frowned. "I'm not her friend anymore."

Katrina grumbled curses to herself loudly as Ron turned away from Harry, who still seemed awkward.

"Well," George said bracingly, "you made a valiant attempt."

"Your brothers are gits," Katrina told him. "All of them. Gits."

"Just now figuring that out, are you?" the shortest of the redheads asked. Suddenly noticing her, Katrina raised her eyebrows.

"Oh! You must be Ginny!" she said brightly.

"We haven't introduced you yet, that's right!" Fred exclaimed loudly, clapping Ginny on the back. "Ginny, this is Katrina! Katrina, this is Ginny."

"Introductions over," George then butted in, slipping his arm through Katrina's and beginning to drag her away to a table. "We really must get to planning, lots of pranks to do and whatnot —"

"Oh, no," Katrina laughed, pulling away from George and walking beside Ginny instead (who looked highly amused). "I'm not missing this opportunity to whine about you two to your sister."

"Only if I can whine about them too," Ginny smirked.

"Ooh, I like you," Katrina waggled her eyebrows at the younger Weasley. Ginny laughed as Fred and George shared another look.

Fred sighed dramatically. "_Fine,_" he whined. "You and Ginny can have your girl talk. Just don't talk about me _too_ much, will you? I know how much you love me and all, but you tend to ramble."

Ginny snorted. "I'm pretty sure nobody could ever love you."

"Ouch!" Fred mocked a wince, rubbing her chest. "That hurt!"

"Well," Ginny reasoned, looking up to the ceiling with her eyebrows raised, "I suppose _somebody_ could, but they must have very low standards."

Katrina found herself laughing a little more loudly than she should have. "Oh, I _really_ like you," she said.

"Thanks," Ginny smiled up at her.

Fred and George grumbled under their breath as they returned to their usual table. Katrina rolled her eyes, following Ginny over to a pair of comfortable armchairs.

"You wouldn't _believe_ how much Fred talked about you over break," she told Katrina quietly with a grin. "It was always 'Katrina this' and 'Katrina that'. He boasted to Charlie all about how he had snogged you in this paddock with hippogriffs, but I think he was overexaggerating."

Katrina laughed a little in her seat, sinking into the plush cushions. "I wish he _were_ exaggerating. Redrump looked murderous afterwards." Ginny looked mildly surprised. "But he talked about me?" Katrina asked bashfully. "I thought he had been flattering me in the letter he sent me on Christmas."

"Well, not _all_ the time," Ginny laughed, "but sometimes. It's funny, though, he said you were much more — er — shy."

Katrina groaned quietly, sinking lower into her chair. "I suppose I was. Being around your brothers has affected me, I'm afraid."

"I know _exactly_ what you mean," Ginny laughed lightly.

Katrina frowned. "Your other brother, Ron. . . . You don't think he's really that mad at me, do you?"

Ginny shrugged. "I don't know. I doubt it, really, because he can overreact sometimes. . . . But Scabbers _was_ his pet, and I would be pretty miffed if my pet was eaten, too. I would never have a pet rat, though, so I doubt my pet would be eaten in the first place."

Katrina laughed a little. "Well, that's good. I'd hate for two of your brothers to turn out to be gits."

"Only two?" Ginny laughed. "If you ask me, they're all gits!"

Katrina chuckled. "Well, yes," she said. "But I mean two of them to be a bit more stupid than the others."

"Who's the other one? Percy?" Ginny asked with her eyebrows furrowed thoughtfully.

"Yep," Katrina nodded. "I hope you don't mind my saying so, but he's a bit . . . pompous."

Ginny snorted. "I don't mind at all."

"It seems like we have a good lot in common, Ginny," Katrina grinned.

"I see the beginnings of a very wonderful friendship," Ginny laughed as Katrina agreed wholeheartedly. "Have you ever tried the Bat-Bogey Hex? It's excellent at getting people to belt up."

"No, I haven't!" Katrina laughed. "I've read about it, though. Mind showing it to me someday?"

"Next time Fred and George come around," Ginny whispered, "we'll pounce."

* * *

Ginny proved to be an expert at the Bat-Bogey Hex. Katrina had a bit of a harder time with it (Fred's bogeys turned into flying, tan-ish boogers rather than actual bats), but she still enjoyed seeing both his and George's abashed faces.

Once the twins were finally able to speak, George having sneezed the last bat from his nose, they told Katrina that they were headed out to Quidditch practice. Seeing as their captain was so strict, she decided to decline their invitation to watch ("Aw!" Fred groaned. "But seeing Oliver's face would be _priceless!_") and decided instead to head back to her actual common room. Just as she was nearly out the portrait hole, however, she was stopped by none other than Oliver Wood himself.

"Katrina!" he called, rushing up to her with a worried look on his face.

"Oliver?" she asked slowly. "What is it?"

"I-I know this is probably dumb to ask," he stuttered, "but you don't happen to know who your house's Seeker is, do you?"

"Ah," Katrina laughed, lowering one of her eyebrows suggestively. "I see what you're getting at, Wood."

"Sorry," Oliver chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand and looking around the room. "I-it would just help with practice is all."

"It's fine," Katrina smiled. "Our Seeker is Cho Chang, a third year. I think she rides a Comet Two-Sixty? I'm not quite sure though, I'll have to ask Alex later. . . ." she mumbled the last part to herself. What exactly was the difference between a Comet Three-Sixty, Two-Eighty, and Two-Sixy again?

"Oh, that's excellent!" Oliver cried. "Harry's Firebolt will be _brilliant_ against a Comet —" but he suddenly stopped short, turning incredibly red and worried-looking again.

"Um," Katrina said, "what is it?"

"You weren't supposed to know about that!" Oliver exclaimed. "It was supposed to be out secret! I can't _believe_ I just told you!"

"Relax, Oliver, relax!" Katrina laughed, raising her hands up and down in a "calm down" motion. "I know about Harry's Firebolt, I held it last night! But I'm not going to tell anyone until after the match," she added quickly as Oliver shot her an even more anxious look.

He immediately seemed to relax. "Oh, thank goodness — I was really afraid there for a second . . . ha, hah. . . ." Oliver looked at Katrina awkwardly, then suddenly shot out his hand. "Thanks for telling me about Chang, it'll really help."

Katrina shook his hand rather vigorously with a laugh. "It was no problem. Now get to practice!" She grinned up to Oliver, who nodded his head. "And good luck!"

"Thank you!" he said brightly, helping himself out the portrait hole and down to the Quidditch Pitch, Katrina was sure.

"I don't know why I just did that," Katrina said cheerfully to herself as she stepped out of the portrait hole once Oliver was out of ear shot, "but for some reason, I don't really mind it!"

* * *

Breakfast the next morning was quite amusing. Katrina had convinced Alex to sit with her, Fred, George, Cora, and the other Gryffindors just before Harry entered with multiple other third years, holding his Firebolt. Alex was completely thunderstruck, of course, and as Katrina told him that she had actually held it, he turned bright red and went to Harry, asking if he could hold it, too. Harry had agreed while Ron gave Katrina a confused look from across the table. Apparently, he hadn't known that she had a brother, let alone one who played Quidditch.

But then a group of Slytherins came up. The leader of their little trio, a long-faced, blond third year, sneered at Harry. Katrina automatically disliked him, and by the grimaces on the whole of the Gryffindor team's faces, she figured they all did, too.

"Sure you can manage that broom, Potter?" the boy drawled in a condescending sort of voice.

"Yeah, reckon so," Harry replied in a very casual tone. Katrina raised her eyebrows considerably.

"Got plenty of special features, hasn't it?" the other boy asked haughtily. "Shame it doesn't come with a parachute — in case you get too near a Dementor."

Katrina stiffened. This boy meant to tease Harry, didn't he? The two brawny boys behind the scrawny one snickered dumbly into their hands.

"Pity you can't attach an extra arm to yours, Malfoy." Katrina's eyes flickered back to Harry, who was looking quite spunky indeed. "Then it could snatch the Snitch for you."

She and the rest of the Gryffindor team (along with most of the other Gryffindors in generally, Katrina thought) laughed loudly at Harry's snark. The Malfoy boy and his cronies stalked away to the Slytherin table, where the lot of their Quidditch team sat with scowls. As Fred and George settled into chuckles, Katrina turned to them, curious.

"Who was that?" she asked.

"Draco Malfoy," George said quietly, grin slowly turning into a deep frown. "He's a pure-blood and thinks that anyone who isn't is as good as dirt."

"That's horrible!" Katrina exclaimed. Cora nodded from beside her, listening intently.

"His Dad used to be a Death Eater, too," Fred said. Katrina flinched a bit, but made to grab her fork and eat a little to hide it. "He's got it out for Harry. And us, too, I guess."

"Why you?" Cora asked, taking a small sip of her pumpkin juice.

"Doesn't like us Weasleys," George snorted, rolling his eyes. "Says that we're blood-traitors. We're not blood-traitors, we've got an actual grasp on reality."

"Just because we're pure-blood, see," Fred said as Katrina nearly choked on her fried egg, "the Malfoys and a good lot of others expect us to hate on every half-blood or Muggle-born. But we don't, because it's stupid. If wizards didn't shag Muggles at some point, we would've died out _ages_ ago."

"You're a pure-blood?" Katrina gasped after a moment. Fred, George, and Lee gave her weird looks as Alex sat back down in his seat, looking awestruck.

"Who's a pure-blood?" he asked, snapping out of it.

"We are," the twins said slowly. Cora looked impressed.

"_Why didn't you_ _tell me?_" Katrina screeched quietly, looking suddenly giddy. "You don't have any Muggle lineage! How cool is that? My — I mean, our" she looked at Alex quickly, "mum is a Muggle-born, so our grandparents have told us some stuff about the Muggle world, but you've only got magic! That must be _so cool._"

Cora laughed lightly as Alex looked nearly as excited as Katrina did. Fred and George still seemed both confused and a bit worried.

"It's not that big a deal," George said, looking Alex up and down like he had lost his marbles. "Honestly, it'd probably be best if we knew a bit about Muggles."

"Well, we do," Fred shrugged, "like how to pick locks and stuff, but nothing about Muggle money or whatever it is."

"We don't know any of that either," Alex said, shaking his head and looking normal again. "Mum says that being a Muggle is boring compared to being a wizard, so she never uses Muggle money. Dad doesn't have a Muggle in his family until his Great-great-grandfather, I think."

"Like George said," Fred said, voice muffled from the toast he was shoving into his mouth, "it's not a big deal. Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't know yet, but whatever. There's so little of us now that we might as well all marry Muggles and forget this pure-blood nonsense."

"It'd stop a good lot of superiority issues," Cora frowned. George nodded in agreement, too busy gulping down porridge to reply.

Alex, Fred, and George seemed to bond over talk of Harry's Firebolt, which turned into a friendly debate about Quiddtich, which eventually became the twins giving Alex tips on how to play. He was a Chaser and didn't have any use for information on how to hit a Bludger in the right direction, but when Fred accidentally let swip a handy move to dodge them, Alex was sure to memorize it by muttering the same phrase over and over under his breath. Katrina was at least happy he wasn't terrified of the twins anymore.

And then she was marching out to the Quidditch Pitch, Cora on one side and Alex (along with his Quidditch mates and a few other Hufflepuffs) on the other. Anxiety was rising from the pit of her stomach. For some reason, she didn't really mind the thought of Gryffindor winning, and it was bothering her an awful lot.

As they all settled into their seats, Katrina watched warily as the Ravenclaw team, all boys but one, entered the field first.

"And there's Ravenclaw, dressed in blue," Lee said from his usual stand as commentator. "Davies, Wheeler, Greene, Harvey, Fitch, Travers, and finally, Cho Chang as Seeker. On the other end of the field is Gryffindor, entering in their usual red."

Katrina saw the Gryffindor team approaching, clad in crimson robes. Fred and George were looking around the stadium, spotted her rather easily (because of her hair, she was sure), and waved animatedly. Alex, Cedric Diggory, Hannah Abbot, and Susan Bones all looked at Katrina, confused, as she waved a small wave back.

"Wood, Johnson, Spinnet, Bell, Weasley, Weasley, and Potter. They're heading to the middle of the field, where Madam Hooch is waiting to release the Quaffle. . . ."

And so the teams were, the captains in the lead. Madam Hooch spoke to the captains briskly, voice drowned out from the applause from the crowd. Katrina had completely forgot to clap, but no matter. The captains shook hands and the teams mounted their brooms. Madam Hooch counted, and after three long seconds, she blew her whistle and they were off.

"They're off," Lee's voice read Katrina's mind, "and the big excitement this match is the Firebolt that Harry Potter is flying for Gryffindor."

Katrina watched, somewhat dazed, as Harry zoomed in multiple directions, in and out of precise, sharp turns and the like. It was amazing, the Firebolt. Cho _really_ didn't have a chance.

"Look at him go," Cora whispered as Lee's admiration of the Firebolt was drowned out by Professor McGonagall's voice.

"It's amazing!" Alex cried. "Look at it turn!"

"I wonder where he got it," Cedric mused to himself. Katie Bell made a goal for Gryffindor.

"Dunno," Katrina mumbled, watching as one of the twins hit a Bludger at Travis Wheeler, a Ravenclaw Chaser. If it wasn't for Jared Fitch, a Beater, he would've hit Wheeler in the face.

And so the match went on. Gryffindor was leading eighty-zero within a mere ten minutes. Harry had just missed the Snitch because of a Bludger sent his way by Daniel Harvey, which one of the twins happened to send the same Bludger to. Harvey did a funny little loop in the air to dodge it, but just barely.

Three scores to Ravenclaw — two by Roger Davies, the captain, and one by Jonathan Greene. Cho Chang was tailing Harry like she had been since the beginning of the game, and the Snitch was nowhere in sight.

Or so Katrina thought. Harry was heading for the Gryffindor goal posts, which Katrina saw had a small, tiny glint of gold flittering around. Cho was on his broom's tail, and then she suddenly blocked him.

Wood seemed to yell something at Harry. The Snitch had gone again.

"Oh," Cora mumbled. Alex seemed somewhat disappointed, too.

"Why didn't Cho catch it?" Katrina asked. "It was right in front of her! It's like she's nagging Harry on or something. . . ."

"She probably wants to get a good fifty points ahead of Gryffindor," Cedric reasoned. "That way Ravenclaw would have more points for the cup."

"Oh," Katrina muttered. "That makes sense, I guess."

Harry suddenly dived again. Had he seen the Snitch? On the edge of her seat already, Katrina leaned forward intently. There was Cho, following him again — but Harry pulled up at the last second, leaving Cho to plunder forward, closer and closer to the gound. And then, as quickly as he had rose from his dive, Harry shot to the Ravenclaw end of the pitch; he had seen it, he'd seen the Snitch again.

Cho was accelerating below him, trying to catch up. But Katrina wasn't worried about the Seekers anymore.

Three tall, black, hooded figures were floating toward Harry. Katrina's throat tightened and the whole stadium seemed to go quiet as Cho's scream rang throughout. Harry saw them, but this time, he didn't faint. He immediately pulled out his wand from under his robes, yelled a spell, and a bright, silver something shot out and into the dementors, trampling them and making them fall to the ground.

And then he caught it. Harry caught the Snitch.

"_Yes!"_ Katrina yelled, clapping her hands wildly without much thought. Alex, Cedric, and their Hufflepuff friends looked at her as if she were crazy, but she payed no mind. Cora clapped along with her, although she wasn't quite as excited (nearly, though). The Gryffindor team floated to the ground, dismounted, and was greeted by a huge surge of Gryffindors.

"Come on!" Cora said, taking Katrina's arm and dragging her down the stadium, "Come on, let's go and congratulate them!"

They sprinted onto the field along with many other Gryffindors, a few Hufflepuffs and, surprisingly, one or two other Ravenclaws. Joining the crowd, Katrina laughed and cheered with the others, the dementors forgotten. Or somewhat, at least.

"Well done!" Katrina yelled hoarsely as she hugged Angelina, Katie, and Alicia with Cora. The girls all jumped up and down, positively jolly. "That was brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!"

"This is it!" screeched Angelina, "We're going to do it! We're going to win the Cup!"

"Of course we're going to win the Cup!" roared a pair of voices. Katrina was suddenly launched into the air and turned around, a sloppy, wet kiss smashed onto her cheek. Cora was laughing wildly, George giving her the same treatment.

"Did you ever doubt us?" Fred asked, looking madly delighted.

"Never," Katrina replied truthfully, grinning almost as widely as he was. Fred looked even more gleeful now, shouting to the crowd, "Party in the common room, everyone! Party in the common room!"

George gave Cora a quick kiss before going to find Harry. Fred dragged Katrina along in the gaggle of Gryffindors, right under Professor McGonagall's nose (who seemed to be talking to that one Malfoy boy and his friends, who were covered in large, black cloaks).

When the twins had said Gryffindor knew how to throw a party, they certainly weren't joking. For a good two hours, Katrina and the other students raved and danced and clapped and yelled, eating whatever sweets they had left from Christmas. It was a good while before she even found Fred again, or rather, Fred found her.

Ducking her into a corner of the common room, he and George grinned.

"So?" George asked.

"What do you think?" Fred snickered.

"This is wonderful!" Katrina breathed. "Much better than our parties in Ravenclaw! They're — they're not even parties compared to this!"

"Good," George beamed, "because it's only going to get better."

"With your help, of course," Fred winked. Katrina suddenly frowned, serious once again.

"What are you planning?" she asked quietly. The twins shared a look, smiled even wider, and stared at her again.

"We're going to sneak out to Hogsmeade," Fred explained in a whisper. Katrina looked between them, bewildered.

"_What?_"

"We know a secret passage that leads to Honeydukes," George told her. "They'd suspect us of something devious, though, if we show up like this — so you, Trina, can act as our puppet for a few minutes to buy candy and things."

"That," Katrina said softly, "is the best idea you've had all year."

Fred kissed her, right then and there. And it was wonderful.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE**

* * *

_whoops i did it again__  
_

_Double update for you guys because i felt guilty for not uploading for a week.  
_

_You guys are totally lucky I'm so gr8 (I'm not actually great though so don't grovel at my feet or something)  
_


	22. BASTARD

The halls of Hogwarts were hardly silent with the roaring coming from the Gryffindor common room. You'd think they had already won the Cup with the racket they were making! Even as Katrina, Fred, and George were sneaking around the third floor, the cheers and stomping of the Gryffindors rattled on in the distance.

"So there's a secret passage that leads to Hogsmeade?" Katrina whispered as they neared the statue of Gunhilda of Gorsemoor.

"Seven, actually," the twins said quietly.

"_Seven?_"

"Close your mouth, love, you'll catch flies," Fred snickered. Katrina snapped her jaw tightly back together.

"But yes, seven," George whispered. "We reckon Filch knows about four of them, though, so we don't use them — but two of them are useless, one's been caved in and the other's entrance is covered by the Whomping Willow."

"This one leads right to Honeydukes, though," Fred nodded triumphantly, motioning to the statue. "Makes for easy access."

"This statue?" Katrina asked, frowning up at the one-eyed, humpbacked witch's face.

"Yep!" Fred and George said brightly, rushing her behind the statue. George was pulling out his wand.

"How do you open it?" Katrina mumbled, placing a hand on the cool stone. "There's not a switch or anything, and pushing it is out of the question, it must weigh a tonne —"

Fred rolled his eyes while George shook his head.

"Are you a witch or aren't you?" George whispered with a smirk, tapping his wand on the witch's hump. "_Dissendium!_"

Immediately, the hump of the old witch slid open to reveal a dark, rounded tunnel that seemed to lead to nowhere. Staring at it in awe, Katrina inched forward for a better look.

"How did you —?"

"Did we not tell you about the map?" Fred snickered. "Now up you get, we haven't got all day — it'll take us an hour just to get to Hogsmeade."

"Wh-what — what, no — _Fred, no_ — _Fred!_"

Fred had gripped her sides and launched Katrina down the chute headfirst.

Cold air automatically flew past Katrina's face and bit her cheeks as she slid forward on a sort of chilly, stone slide. Slowly, very slowly, it evened out, and Katrina found herself shot onto the ground, landing harshly and thudding a ways away from the mouth, where Fred and George slid down moments later and landed on their feet expertly.

They were both at her side in an instant, pulling her up by her arms. Wobbling a bit, Katrina laughed quietly to herself and wiped the dirt off of her pants.

"That's why you don't throw me down a dark slide without my consent," she told them, brushing the blue hair out of her face.

"Whoops," Fred said as George chuckled and moved away, swishing his wand and lighting it with a mumble, "you've got a cut — here —"

He licked his thumb and made to smudge it on her forehead, but Katrina caught his wrist quickly with a grin.

"No need," she said cheerfully. "I can do it myself."

"But I want —" Fred started to pout, but stopped himself as Katrina's face became strained in thoughtful. Before his eyes, she was sure, the small gash on her forehead disappeared as if it was never there in the first place.

"See?" Katrina boasted, grinning again. Fred gave her a look as George chuckled to himself, beginning to slowly walk down the sort of burrow they were in. Fred looked over his shoulder briefly, then back to Katrina. Quite abruptly, he shoved his thumb onto her forehead and rubbed it roughly anyways.

Laughing, Katrina fought to slap his hand away. Only when her head was thoroughly red did Fred finally stop, looking happy with himself at last.

"Are you done yet?" George called over his shoulder. He was already a good ways away, just glimmering from his wandlight.

"Yes, yes!" Fred said impatiently, pulling out is wand and muttering the lighting spell. "We're done, you twit!"

"Good!" George laughed, turning on his heel again and continuing down the passage. Katrina pulled out her own wand.

"_Lumos,_" she whispered. The tip of her wand lit up, too, but it was nearly swatted out of her hand as Fred tried to grab her fingers.

"Oh, sorry," he said, recoiling rather quickly. "I didn't —"

"It's fine," Katrina laughed quietly, holding her wand in her left hand instead. Fred looked at her oddly as she took his hand and gripped it tightly, smiling up at him.

"Well?" she asked after a moment. Fred blinked, grinned, and began to lead her down the passage.

"Right, so," George said as they finally caught up, "it'll take us an hour to get to the cellar in Honeydukes. Trina, you'll do your stuff — turn into a lady or something —"

"I _am_ a lady."

"An older lady," Fred chortled.

"One that doesn't look like she's still at Hogwarts," George agreed. The twins suddenly ducked, and before Katrina knew what they were doing, she hit her head on a low something.

"_Ow!_" she exclaimed, rubbing her forehead and squeezing her eyes shut. Her brain was pounding to the rhythm of her heart, and it was incredibly dizzying.

"Oh, sorry," George said quickly, ducking again and moving forward, closely followed by Fred. "It's best if you're really short when you come down here. . . ."

"We learned that the hard way third year," Fred laughed a little, but when Katrina opened her bleary eyes again, she saw he had a flicker of worry flash through his face. "Unexpected growth spurt. We've learned every dip in here by heart since."

"Yes, well," Katrina groaned, ducking deeply to avoid the low ceiling and continue on with the twins, hand still grasping Fred's tightly (though Fred was nearly crushing her fingers), "I would appreciate a bit of warning next time."

"We'll try," they replied.

Indeed, the walk to Honeydukes did take quite a while. Katrina eventually learned how to follow the twins' body movements and duck when needed be — they tended to forget to tell her when the ceiling dipped. At long last, after many twists and turns, they came to a set of steep steps.

"Alright," Fred said, letting go of Katrina's hand and facing her with George, "you ought to change now, the cellar's just up ahead."

"Okay," Katrina said slowly, scrunching up her face in that same strained, thoughtful look.

She shrank a little, her shoulders and hips jutted out, and her face grew more angular. Katrina's eyes turned brown and her hair turned straight, short, and blond. Fred and George watched in mild amusement.

Brushing through her new hair with her fingers, Katrina asked in a voice a bit deeper than her usual tone, "Is this alright?"

"Excellent," the twins nodded.

She nearly counted the steps leading up to the cellar, but around eighty-something, Katrina decided to stop. A looming suspicion as to somebody staring up her arse had tore her mind away from the creaky stairs, and when she turned and looked down at Fred, she saw him smiling a dopey grin up at her.

"She's got a nice arse, this one," he snickered as Katrina rolled her eyes, continuing the trek higher and higher in the dark.

George, who was above her, raised his wand high above his head as the staircase seemed to grow taller and taller. In the back of her mind, Katrina thought that they might have hit over two hundred steps.

"We're nearly there," he mumbled quietly, raising his other hand and feeling around above his head.

There was a thump as George's hand hit something wooden. Beaming, he looked at Katrina from over his shoulder. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be," Katrina nodded. She didn't even try to hide her smile.

He pushed the trap door open. The three of them instantly unlit their wands. Quietly stepping into the cellar, Katrina saw that it was lit by tiny torches lining the walls and was littered with shelves and boxes filled with what was undoubtedly sweets of all sorts.

"_Oh!_" she exclaimed quietly after a moment, turning to Fred as he silently set the trap door back in place, where it disappeared seamlessly with the wooden floor. "So _this_ was where you went off to the first Hogsmeade trip! Cora saw you slip into the cellar."

"It comes in handy," Fred laughed.

"Now," George whispered, "Trina, you go up to the main store — it should be pretty crowded, what with it being a weekend and all — and buy all the candy you can get."

"Lots of Butterbeers, too," Fred said, pulling a bag of lightly-jangling money from the back of his Quidditch robes (Katrina had a growing suspicion that they had been planning this out for weeks) and placing it into her hands.

"We'll be waiting behind these boxes," George continued, stepping behind a rather tall wall consisting of boxes labeled "FIZZING WHIZZBEES" in bright green letters. "Don't take too long, or we might have to face the owners."

"Alright," Katrina nodded stiffly. She was getting nervous again, but this time, she noticed, it was a bit different. She was excited at the same time. There was that same rush of adrenaline she always found herself indulging in ever since she had started to join the twins with their pranks, and for some reason, it was growing larger and larger each time she precisely placed a Filibuster's Firework or threw a Stink Pellet in Filch's direction.

"Go on then," Fred whispered, giving her back a quick pat before winking and joining George behind the boxes of Fizzing Whizzbees.

"Right, right," she mumbled to herself, glancing toward the stairs. As quickly and quietly as she could, Katrina became to climb them, calves heaving with effort after the secret passage. Once she opened the door, the once-muffled voices of cheery laughter hit her like a brick in the face. Katrina ducked quickly under the counter before she was seen, the door closing behind her, and entered the main shopping area of Honeydukes.

A certain sort of freedom seemed to explode inside her chest. Here she was, in Hogsmeade, getting sweets to help celebrate Gryffindor's win while disguised as a young woman with the twins waiting patiently for her back down in the cellar. It was probably the most liberating moment in her life.

Fighting to act casual, Katrina picked up a few packages of Fudge Flies, looking at them as if she was actually interested. Peeking around at the crowd bustling beside her, she saw that the young children and grown men and women weren't any the wiser. They all thought she was a random witch, just like them.

Katrina bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from grinning. Yes, a few boxes of Peppermint Toads — multiple packages of Fizzing Whizzbees, of course, everybody loved them — Drooble's Best Blowing Gum — Pumpkin Fizz — a good three dozen Jelly Slugs. . . . Why had she never done this before?

Oh dear. There were the chocolates. Mustering up what little self-restraint she could, Katrina picked up Chocolate Frogs, Skeletons, and Wands and turned on her heel before the Cauldron Cakes could tempt her any longer.

Let's see, what else could she get? Shuffling around her many boxes and things and reaching for the bag of money Fred had given her, she weighed it carefully in her hand. There might be just enough for some Treacle Fudge and the Butterbeers? Maybe just the Butterbeers. Did Honeydukes even sell Butterbeer?

It wasn't until after Katrina had passed every shelf and screaming toddler did she finally spot the drinks, which were in an ice-filled barrel in one corner of the shop. Juggling all of her candies plus a good twenty-or-so bottles of Butter proved to be incredibly difficult, but in the end she payed nearly all the contents of the small moneybag at the counter and was much more comfortable holding eight heavy bags of sweets.

Sneaking back into the cellar was easy enough. Katrina waited patiently for the woman with the screaming toddler to go up to the counter, where both the owners became distracted. From there, she slipped behind the counter again and through the door, down the steps, and was greeted by Fred and George slowly poking their heads from around their stack of boxes.

"Wicked," they both breathed.

Beaming wider than she ever had before, Katrina found herself back to her original tall-and-lanky, blue- and bouncy-haired self as she handed the twins three bags of sweets each.

"Well done," George chuckled as he looked through his bags, an extremely giddy look plastered on his face. "You've gotten all the necessities!"

"You'd think you were a natural," Fred nudged Katrina with his elbow, grinning widely.

"Stop it, you're making me blush," Katrina joked.

The twins then kicked the trap door open again, allowing Katrina to go down first. George followed, and then Fred, who quietly closed the door behind them. Katrina had just enough wiggle room to pull out her wand and light it so they could see.

"That was probably the single best moment in my life," she told them from over her shoulder.

George snickered loudly to himself. "Breaking the rules has that effect on some people."

"Well," she replied breathlessly, "I am definitely one of those people!"

* * *

The three of them were back in the Gryffindor common room withing the next hour. Lee greeted them ecstatically, helping them throw out Butterbeers and multiple candies to the crowd. It was really amazing, Katrina realized, to see the faces of all the excited students bouncing around in the air and grabbing whatever sweets they could reach. What really delighted her was how Percy, who what usually such a stickler to the rules one could call him prude, was jumping up and down like Christmas had come early.

By the time is was late at night, Fred and George had propped themselves both onto a table and were juggling empty bottles of Butterbeer. Completely spent but still quite merry, Katrina watched and clapped along with the crowd. They were certainly showing off — throwing the bottles between themselves and kicking their legs and whatnot. It was a little endearing.

And then, around one in the morning, when Katrina had stumbled nearly half-asleep onto a couch and Fred had lobbed a Butterbeer at her head, Professor McGonagall came in. Abruptly, Katrina ceased her giggling and stared wide-eyed at the professor, whose eyes were gliding over each and every head in the common room. She was going to see her, and Katrina was going to be kicked out. But, just before McGonagall spotted her, Alicia, Angelina, and Katie came to her rescue. They swiftly surrounded Katrina, making a sort of wall around her upper body as they pretended to whisper and giggle so their Head of House wouldn't suspect anything.

"Thought you might need a little help," Angelina whispered. Sighing heavily in relief, Katrina only nodded her thanks.

"You are to head to bed now," McGonagall was saying. Fred and George groaned loudly, Lee grumbling a little behind them. The girls pretended that their giggles were ceasing. "It's nearly two in the morning, go on — I don't wish to be awake all night because of your loud celebrating. Good night."

And then she left.

Heaving a great, relieved groan of effort, Katrina sat up on the couch and looked at the girls.

"Thank you," she said genuinely, though tiredly. "I don't think I would've been able to make it all the way to Ravenclaw Tower, let alone my dorm. . . ."

"It was no problem," Katie chided happily, though she seemed a little crestfallen, as did the rest of the Gryffindors. None of them seemed to want to stop their party.

"Would you like to bunk with us tonight, Katrina?" Angelina asked. "Alicia and I share a dorm with the other fifth years — that way you don't have to sleep on the couch again tonight."

"Oh, that's very kind of you," Katrina yawned, stretching out her arms above her head as the students began to recede into their common rooms, "but I'm sure this couch will do me fine for the night . . . or morning, I suppose. . . ."

"Well, if you're sure," Alicia nodded reluctantly, glancing at Angelina, who was crossing her arms under her chest with a worried look.

"Really, we don't mind, Katrina," she said as Katie told them all goodnight and began to climb up to her dormitory.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Katrina mumbled, already half-asleep as she sat back on the couch. "Perfectly fine. . ."

She snored lightly. Angelina and Alicia shrugged at each other, deciding to leave Katrina be and head off to bed. But, of course, the twins and Lee had other plans.

Fred and George launched themselves over the back of the couch, landing on either side of Katrina and jerking her awake. As she stared bemusedly between them, Lee snorted and leaned on the back of the couch, peering at them all with a triumphant look on his face.

"Up for a sleep over?" George asked.

"Ah," Katrina nodded her head in understanding, leaning into Fred's shoulder. "Are you joining me on the couch? I wouldn't mind s-so-some company," she yawned again.

"No," Fred rolled his eyes, shuffling around a bit so he could slip his arm over her shoulders.

"We thought we could continue celebrating in our dorm," Lee exclaimed. "We've still got a bit of Pumpkin Fizz left and plenty of room for another."

"But I _just_ told Angelina and Alicia I would be sleeping here," Katrina moaned, lolling her head into the crook of Fred's neck sleepily.

"What they don't know won't hurt them," he smirked.

"I'm a girl though," she continued.

"Give yourself some manly bits and come up there anyways!" George chirped. Katrina laughed, raising a hand to rub her eyes and leaning away from Fred again, sinking into the couch.

"I really don't need to," she chuckled after a moment.

"I'll have to show you my bed at some point anyways," Fred waggled his eyebrows and poked her side. Giggling and swatting his hand away, Katrina sighed and looked between the boys, each of them grinning widely.

"I suppose I could join you," Katrina said after a good minute or so. The boys all exclaimed rather loudly, jumping up and slapping their hands together and the like. "_But,_" she laughed, causing them all to stop and look at her curiously, "I get a bed all to myself."

"_Aw,_" Fred whined, slumping his shoulders with a pout. "I wanted —"

"Nope," Katrina butted in quickly, shooting out her hands to silence him. George and lee chortled quietly to themselves, taking one of Katrina's wrists each and heaving her up onto her wobbly legs.

"But —"

"Nope," Katrina repeated, slinging her arm heavily over Fred's shoulders for support.

After exhaling harshly from his nose, Fred said, "Fine. But you don't get to see my heart-covered pants."

"And you don't get to see my snitch-decorated knickers," she retorted, much to the amusement of George and Lee. Fred, however, looked thoroughly disheartened by this and frowned to himself in what seemed to be deep thought.

"Shall we show you to our dorm, then?" George sniggered as he and Lee made for the staircase leading up to the boys' dormitories.

"Might as well," Katrina laughed. Fred looped his arm around her waist, finally looking himself again, and began to lead her wobbly arse up the steps.

"Poor Jake, having to live with us all these years," Lee snickered as they carefully stepped up, stair by stair. "I wouldn't be surprised if he's asked McGonagall for a new dorm a thousand times. There's only us four in there, see, and you can only imagine what we've put him through."

"Jake, Jake," Katrina mumbled under her breath, furrowing her eyebrows together as she and Fred made it to the door. "He's in our classes, isn't he? Jake Mc-Mc-McEng—" she heaved another great yawn, "—Ewing? McOgen? What was his last name again?"

"No idea," Fred said slowly, peeking around and below her back.

"Juuuuuust what are you—?" Katrina began to slur, but ended up squeaking instead. Fred had reached down and yanked and the back of her jeans, giving him a gap just big enough to catch a glimpse of her underwear and then slap her bottom with a cackle.

"_She wasn't joking!_" he bellowed, looking at Lee and George with near tears in his eyes. The two boys seemed almost confused for a moment, but then the gears chinked away in their heads and they too were laughing out loud. Katrina had turned the brightest shade of lavender they had seen yet.

"Snitch-patterned — blue-and-gold — knickers!" Fred wheezed, holding his stomach as he nearly doubled over in laughter. "I can't — believe — you weren't — joking!"

"You weren't lying either," George snickered from behind his hand. "He really _does_ have some heart-covered pants. 'For the irony,' he says!"

But Fred was much too busy to retort with something witty. Katrina continued to turn more and more magenta in her spot, nearly looking faint.

"You're sleeping on the floor," she said so quietly that she could hardly be heard over the bouts of laughter.

"Wh-what was that, love?" Fred breathed, swiping the hair out of his red face to look up at her.

"You're sleeping on the floor," Katrina repeated, still quiet but with an odd, stern look on her face.

"Oh, am I?" Fred raised a single eyebrow, his laughter leaving him and a smirk taking its place. "Well, I can't say I'll mind, since your knickers will be joining me. I have a feeling they won't last the night, see."

"They most certainly will," Katrina replied in a jerky sort of tone, raising her nose high in the air. George and Lee snorted quietly to themselves, but Fred frowned. Whether he was being serious or not, she didn't really get the chance to find out; Katrina had stomped into their dorm moments later to find three empty beds and a harassed-looking boy, half asleep and already with half a bedhead.

"Which one's Fred's?" she asked him. Bemused and dazed, the boy, Jake, pointed at the bed directly across from him. Without missing a beat, Katrina launched herself onto to bed and under the quilts, taking up all the space she could so Fred couldn't have any of it.

But before she could even hear the boys coming in and conversing with Jake, Katrina was out cold, her head resting face-first in Fred's pillow and a rising burning in her belly.

* * *

Completely disoriented, Katrina foggily realized that she was awake again, even though her eyes were closed. She was so warm she nearly felt hot and, for some reason, crowded.

A sudden blast of cool air hitting the back of her neck made Katrina jolt fully awake, staring at the blankets surrounding her head on one side and the bedpost on the other. For a moment, she thought she had imagined it — but then it happened again, this time much louder and deeper and sending a shiver down her spine. Somebody was breathing on her.

She almost had the mind to swing her arms around and swat whoever it was away — mostly because it was probably Peeves the Poltergeist starting trouble again — but she didn't. Instead, Katrina decided to lift herself up on her elbows as slowly as she could and turn her head around to see who had taken up the rest of the bed.

And, of course, it was Fred.

She blinked, and then, coming to an agreement somewhere in the back of her mind, Katrina lied back down on her left shoulder, staring at him intently, just watching. Only briefly did she really want to kick him off the bed or do something reckless like that — but now she was quite happy with looking at him. It seemed the only time he was remotely peaceful was when he was asleep.

The more Katrina stared, the more faraway the thought of going back to sleep became. Even though the light was dim, she could see every one of his freckles, could count his each and every eyelash and dark orange hair in his eyebrows. She could tell his cheeks were still a bit fatty, since he hadn't actually grown out of puberty (which meant he was going to get taller, oh dear), and that his nose had a tiny chink in it around the right nostril like a piece of small wood had defaced it somehow — possibly the blow of an angry brother covered in Essence of Dungbomb and close to the batch of firewood.

As Fred's eyelids twitch and his head sank lower into his pillow, Katrina absentmindedly flicked her eyes away and instead studied the sheets, which were helter-skeltered around two pairs of tangled legs and whatnot. She tugged the heavy quilts back into place, or as closely as she could, and carefully glanced up at Fred again afterward.

His lips were parted in a way that Katrina cursed herself for thinking of as cute. And his bright hair was sticking up in every direction, and his neck was displaying itself rather nicely in a sort of stretch, and there was that same burning sensation from before. Growing from her belly up, it flickered in and out like a fire. She hated it. She wanted it to go away so she could think in a straight line again.

Her body began to move on its own, much to her mind's disapproval. Katrina quietly slid her arms between Fred's, watching for any sign that he had any conscious idea as to what she was doing. When Fred didn't falter, she nudged herself closer, hugging his middle to hers as she ever so lightly touched her jaw to his chest.

There it was — his heartbeat. A sort of surreal warmth, one that wasn't obnoxious like the one in her stomach, spread through Katrina all the way to the tips of her toes. It was nice. Steady, strong. And it matched well with his breathing, which was causing his chest to swell a bit here or there and bump into her ear so she could hear it a little better. She'd never heard another person's heart — or she had never really paid attention. For some reason, it was nice to know she wasn't the only one with that beating thing that sometimes pounded against her ribs, much like it was right now. It was also nice to hear something so calming; just a minute or so later Katrina found herself drifting away again, thinking in steady, strong beats.

But not for long. By the time Katrina was dreaming about Snape's lesson being taken over by Professor Lupin because of a problem with a rogue Hinkypunk, that slow beat had suddenly jump-started and was pounding wildly against her cheek. Fred twitched twice — once in his arm and the other in his leg, by what she could tell — and his chest seemed to be stuck at the tip of her ear.

Even though she knew what this all meant, and even though what she really ought to have done was completely disentangle herself from Fred completely, Katrina held him tighter and shoved the side of her head against his chest, listening, waiting.

And Fred eventually calmed down, exhaling deeply and loudly from his nose. He pulled up his arm, almost carefully, and glided it up to Katrina's back, pushing a bit between her shoulder blades and holding her close. She let out a silent squeak of surprise. He was being incredibly gentle. He thought she was asleep.

Katrina ducked down a little again, fighting to hear Fred's heartbeat against the rustling of blankets as he readjusted his knees to tap hers. It was still pounding, pounding so hard his chest was visibly rocking even though he was hardly sucking in any breath. And for nearly five minutes, Katrina stayed that way, and so did his heartbeat. Not wavering in the slightest.

Finally coming to her senses and realizing how dumb she was acting, Katrina groaned loudly and headbutted Fred with whatever force she could muster (which wasn't a lot). Fred, of course, was startled, and jumped so much the bed creaked from under them.

"I hate you," Katrina grumbled, gripping him tight around his back. "I hate you _so much._ Sneaking into bed with me and then looking so attractive that I act like a — like a _girl_ and get close to you, and then you wake up just before I was asleep again and act all cute. I hate you."

He was silent. Katrina didn't know if he was even going to answer, and a small part of her brain thought that maybe he had been stricken. But, no, of course she hadn't hurt him — Fred began to chuckle. And then he began to chortle. Quite soon he was biting his pillow to keep himself from waking up the rest of the dorm with his laughter.

"Stop it," Katrina whined, reluctantly looking up at him to see Fred with tears in his eyes. "Stop acting — acting cute or whatever — it's stupid! Stop it!"

But he didn't stop. He kept laughing and laughing, and Katrina was surprised that Jake at least didn't wake up. Lee's snores jerked a little, but that was it. Finally, Fred settled down, breathing deeply and thudding his chest into Katrina's chin.

Abruptly, he suddenly shuffled and took Katrina's upper arms, pulling her up to be eye-level with him on his bitten pillow. She stared at him, but this time more in surprise than sleepy curiosity. Fred laughed a little again, peering into her eyes about as much as she was, giddy as could be.

"You're different," he said, biting his bottom lip a little with the widest grin she had ever seen.

"What —?"

"_Really_ different," he plowed on. There was a new spark in his eyes that Katrina nearly thought was determination, maybe mixed with a little excitement.

"Wh-what?" she asked, bewildered.

"I like that," Fred continued. Before Katrina could even ask _why_ she was different, Fred lunged forward and planted the sloppiest kiss on her cheek, laughing halfway through it and having to bite his lip again as he pulled away. He looked really cute when he did that.

"_No,_" Katrina said aloud, shaking her head and furrowing her eyebrow. "_No,_ it's not cute, stop it, stop it right now." She didn't know if she was talking more to herself or to Fred, but he didn't seem to mind.

As a matter of fact, he simply turned his pillow over under their heads, snuggling into it and staring at Katrina expectantly.

"What?" she asked indignantly. "What do you want now?"

"Gimme a kiss," he beamed, pointing at his cheek. "Right here. Or I'll poke you behind your ear and keep you up all night."

"No!" Katrina exclaimed automatically. He laughed again, but forced himself quiet, smashing his lips together and making them go white, still shaking a little as he fought each chuckle. Fred pointed at his cheek again and winked.

Katrina bit the inside of her cheek, glancing between Fred's eyes and his cheek and then his eyes again. He was thoroughly enjoying this, the bastard. She really, really didn't want to let him win again. But, at the same time, she _really_ didn't want him to poke her behind the ear. Sighing in defeat, Katrina leaned forward and pecked Fred's cheek, as quickly and lightly as she could.

Once she settled back down in the pillow again, she glared. Fred made a funny sort of scowl before suddenly taking her wrists and wrapping them around his neck, a place he seemed to rather liked them to be.

"Could've been better," he said offhandedly with a playful shrug, "but I'm not complaining."

"You'd better not be complaining," Katrina grumbled as he poked his nose into hers, making a noise that sounded like "Boop!" "Because if you are, then I'm never stepping foot in your common room again."

"Sure you will," he laughed. "Won't be able to resist my allure. But let's worry about that later. Go to sleep."

"Why would I —"

"Because it's late, you're tired, and I want to be cute," he said simply, triumphantly smirking as Katrina's glare deepened.

"Just don't touch my knickers," she mumbled after a moment. Fred nodded, making their noses rub together in an almost endearing way.

"Right-o."

And, quite slowly, Katrina allowed her eyes to droop and fell sleepily into dreamland at last, Fred's knees tapping into hers.

She really did hate him. Bastard.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO**

* * *

_Sorry this one took literally forever. I've been sick for a week and sorta forgot how to write I guess, as I'm sure you can tell by the first part of this thingy :'D And the second. But I am proud of the third, at least! I just had to read a little, yknow, get the creative juices flowing or something dumb like that.  
_

_Thanks for the reviews, follows, favorites, and your patience! The next chapter should be out pretty soon, and it's definitely going to be exciting!  
_


	23. COMPLEMENTARY COLORS

Yet again, Katrina didn't stay asleep for very long.

She had been having a rather random-yet-peaceful dream, where Cora had approached her talking rubbish about being an Animagus. Katrina hadn't believed her, but then Cora had turned into one of the large, gray winged horses her family bred. She had then convinced Katrina to ride with her to visit Redrump and the others in a sort of horse-ish voice. Katrina had just been mounting horse-Cora when, suddenly, she bucked and reared and flapped her great wings wildly with a terrified, loud whinny. That was when Katrina woke up and realized she wasn't hearing a whinny at all, but a strangled yell from one of the lower dorms.

Fred had woken up, too, along with the rest of their dormitory. Jake had fallen out of his bed, by the sound of his moaning, and George was kicking the blankets off of his feet on the bed beside them. Katrina quickly pushed Fred away, giving him a sorry look as she adjusted her shirt and sat up in the bed, looking around worriedly.

"What was that?" Lee asked thickly, rubbing his eyes in a hurried manner.

"That sounded like Ron," George said quietly. Fred immediately sat up in the bed, looking much more awake than Katrina felt.

The loud sound of a door slamming shut echoed through the tower. Katrina backed into the headboard, hitting her head on the wall.

"Ow," she breathed, rubbing the back of her head with her hand. Fred gave her a glance, but she waved it off. "I'm fine, I'm fine."

"I'm sure it was just them messing around," George said quickly, standing up and heading for the dormitory door. "Don't want the party to stop and whatnot."

"Ooh," Fred chuckled, "I bet he wants to continue celebrating. That's wonderful."

He stood up too, offering Katrina a hand. She took it with a frown. For some reason, she had a feeling Ron was not screaming because he wanted to celebrate. As she stood, Jake slumped back into his bed, muttering angry nonsense. Lee bounded up to George, who was stepping out the door and asking, "What're you doing?"

Fred followed next, motioning excitedly for Katrina to follow. She did so warily, watching as other heads poked out of dormitories and looked down to Ron, Harry, and his friends, who indeed looked quite terrified.

"Excellent, are we carrying on?" Fred asked brightly. Katrina frowned deeply. Did he not notice the panicked expression on his brother's face?

Girls were coming down from the girls' dormitories now, too. Katrina stuck by Fred, George, and Lee's backs, peering cautiously over their shoulders. She felt odd, almost anxious.

"Everyone back upstairs!" Came Percy's voice. He was rushing down the stairs, pinning his Head Boy badge to his striped pajamas with a somewhat import, yet annoyed, look.

"Perce —" Ron said faintly, "Sirius Black! In our dormitory! With a knife! Woke me up!"

Almost instantly, Katrina had snatched Fred's sleeve and gripped it tighter than she should have. He gave her a sideways glance, shook his head, and looked to Ron again.

He couldn't have actually —? No, that was preposterous. Sirius Black couldn't have — _wouldn't_ have — would he? Of course he wouldn't, that would be stupid! Ron had just had a nightmare was all. Yes, that was it. A nightmare.

"Nonsense!" said a startled Percy. "You had too much to eat, Ron — had a nightmare —"

"I'm telling you —" Ron began.

"Now, really, that's enough!"

McGonagall had returned, tartan nightgown and all. As she angrily slammed the portrait door closed behind her and stared around the room, Katrina ducked behind Fred and George, hoping their tallness would hide her from the professor's sight.

"I am delighted that Gryffindor won the match, but this is preposterous!" she said. "Percy, I expected better of you!"

"I certainly didn't authorize this, Professor!" Percy said indignantly. "I was just telling them all to get back to bed! My brother Ron here had a nightmare —"

"IT WASN'T A NIGHTMARE!" Ron suddenly yelled, causing Katrina to jump and clasp onto Fred's arm from behind his back. "PROFESSOR, I WOKE UP, AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME, HOLDING A KNIFE!"

The whole of the common room seemed to be staring at him now, all except Katrina, who was staring at the back of George's olive-and-white pajamas, hoping to keep herself from shaking by telling herself that Ron really had only dreamed up Sirius Black.

"Don't be ridiculous, Weasley," Professor McGonagall said, "how could he possibly have gotten through the portrait hole?"

"Ask him!" Ron shouted, pointing his finger at Sir Cadogan's portrait. "Ask him if he saw —"

Yes, that was a good idea, Katrina thought. Surely, Cadogan had seen nothing of the sort! Professor McGonagall opened the portrait stiffly, still glaring at the rest of the common room.

"Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter Gryffindor tower?"

No, said Sir Cadogan, I did not! This young man is certainly having nightmares! That's what Katrina wish she had heard, anyways. Instead, what the portrait was crying nearly made her faint right then and there.

"Certainly, good lady!"

Fred stiffened. George stiffened. Even Lee stiffened, all three of them staring wide-eyed at the entrance of their common room in disbelief.

"You — you _did?_" McGonagall asked. "But — but the password!"

"He had 'em!" Sir Cadogan said in a proud way. Katrina felt her knees wobbling under her body. "Had the whole week's, my lady! Read 'em off a little piece of paper!"

Professor McGonagall, whiter than the chalk she used to write on her chalkboard, stepped back into the common room, clearly as surprised as they all were.

"Which person," she asked in a quavering voice, "which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week's passwords and left them lying around?"

Yes, Katrina thought shakily as she gripped Fred's arm so tight she think she might just pinch it off, which twit in the whole damned school wrote down the passwords to this very common room, and why in the name of all things holy did Sirius Black have to find that paper?

As Neville Longbottom, a squeaky boy with a round face, rose his hand into the air with a terrified expression, Katrina could only be incredibly grateful towards the boys for coaxing her into their dormitory. The next moment she had leaned onto Fred completely, unconscious and scared to death.

* * *

Katrina woke at dawn. The portrait door had shut again and there was a murmur going around in the common room. Her bones felt dreadfully stiff and awkward as she pulled herself from her sideways sitting position, staring bleary-eyed at a very white Fred, worried-looking George, and a similar Lee, Angelina, Katie, Alicia, and surprisingly, Percy.

After blinking her eyes hurriedly, she looked them all over. She wasn't confused, she was terrified.

"Have they found him?" she croaked. "Have they caught him? Anything?"

"No," Percy shook his head, looking solemn. "McGonagall just left to tell us —"

"Are you alright?" Fred asked quickly. "You've been out cold for hours, George and I tried to wake you up but you wouldn't budge —"

"No, I'm not alright!" Katrina wished she had shouted, but her voice had only cracked to a very high squeaking sound as her lip began to quiver. "S-Sirius Black! In _here!_ I-I-I — h-he could've killed a-all of us! He could've — could've —"

And then she was reduced to tears. Fred looked whiter than ever and Katie had started sniffling, too. Angelina was quick to try and comfort them both, but failed horribly as she began to shake a little also. Percy, who was thoroughly shaken, said he was going to check on the younger students. Lee began to comfort the girls, joking a little and trying to humor them. George gave Katrina's shoulder a rub and went to get Ginny, leaving her and Fred alone. If she had been in a more sensible state, Katrina would've thought they'd left Fred to comfort her.

"Well, he didn't kill any of us," he said helplessly after a few moments. Katrina furiously wiped her eyes, frustrated at herself and Black and Neville and everyone.

"He nearly killed your brother!" she choked a little, giving up on her red eyes and glaring at him instead. "A-and all you can say is that he — he —"

"Didn't kill anyone," Fred said slowly.

Katrina was quiet, now looking around the common room, watching all the faces contort in weird emotions and things. She brought her knees up to her chest, sitting her chin on them and stared up at the ceiling worriedly. "I suppose."

"You've gone red again," Fred pointed out quietly, shuffling over so he could face her fully. "You haven't gone red in a while. I don't like it."

"Sorry, can't help myself," Katrina snapped grumpily. "He is a mass murderer. Killed thirteen people. He sort of scares the bollocks out of me."

"I know," Fred groaned, apparently giving up on this whole 'comforting' thing and slumping his shoulders. With a careful glance at Katrina, he slipped his arms around her waist and set his head on her shoulder in a sort of hug. "I know he does."

And they were quiet. Katrina quite liked that — she didn't feel like talking at the moment. Everyone else in the common room apparently did, though. They were jabbering all to themselves or their friends or anyone who would really listen. One seventh year girl was insisting that Sirius Black could turn into some sort of flower at will, a rumor Katrina recognized spouted from one of Alex's friends.

Fred suddenly made a gurgled grunting sort of noise, falling into her lap and forcing her knees back to a normal sitting position. Katrina raised her arms in surprise and mild confusion as Fred held her tighter around them middle, grumbling words that didn't make any sense.

"You've gone mental," Katrina squeaked apprehensively.

"Haven't," Fred mumbled, squeezing her so tight the breath flew out of her lungs. "Just don't like it."

"I don't like it either," Katrina said wheezily, sucking in a deep breath and then sighing, as Fred had finally eased his grip.

"You know," she said quietly, absentmindedly running her fingers through his hair as he stretched his legs out on the rest of the couch, "you've the most peculiar ways of showing affection."

"Well you're not particularly affectionate yourself, Missy," Fred replied, shoving his nose into her ribs.

"I don't know _how_ to be affectionate, you dolt," Katrina chortled. "And you're a horrible teacher." Now, she didn't mind talking about this. It was keeping her head off of that dreaded Black man.

"You're a horrible learner," he retorted. That certainly flared her up.

"I am a brilliant learner!" she told him hotly. "I'm quite easily educated, I'll have you know — I wasn't put into Ravenclaw for just any reason!"

"Yes, I know," Fred snickered, squeezing her stomach again. "It was because you wanted to be just like your Mum. How _honorable._"

Katrina gave his hair a good yank.

"_Ow!_" Fred cried, pulling back and slapping his hand to his head as he winced up at her. "Merlin, Katrina! You didn't have to rip my scalp off! I need this hair to woo the ladies!"

"What ladies?" Katrina snorted lightheartedly. "I don't see any ladies groveling at your feet. All I see is my sorry arse."

"Hm," he grunted in response, frowning comically and splaying himself in her lap, "I wouldn't say your arse was _sorry._ It is with me, you know."

"That's exactly why it's sorry," she corrected him matter-of-factly.

He squinted his eyes.

"Sorry I can't grope it all the time," Fred finally said.

"Oh, yes," Katrina said seriously. "Please do hold my bum wherever you go, Fred, it'll certainly get the girls talking."

"I think I just might," Fred yawned, tilting his head into her arm now that she had started playing with his hair again. "In all seriousness, though," he said, "you really ought to sleep over more often. I don't mind sharing my bed with you."

Katrina felt that familiar prickle in her skin and knew she had gone lavender. Fred grinned.

"I got _really_ cute with you last night," he continued, a mad sort of glint in his eye as Katrina fought back the heat in her cheeks. "Brushed the hair out of your face and everything. You're really clingy, did you know that? I think I already told you that. It's cute."

"I'll pull your hair out," she said in what she wished was a serious voice.

"No!" Fred exclaimed quickly anyways, stiffening so swiftly it was humorous. As he saw the smile struggling onto Katrina's face, he relaxed, beaming a little himself. "You're mean."

"I've _learned_ from the best."

"Who, George?" Fred asked, mocking surprise. "I know he can be a _bit_ brash sometimes, but not _mean._"

Katrina gave him a look.

"Well," he frowned, "maybe a little mean."

And, for the first time that morning, Katrina laughed. Twirling her pinkies through Fred's fringe, he smirked up at her and happily shuffled so he could hug her middle again.

"Blue suits you," he said.

"Are you calling me depressing?" Katrina asked, raising a single eyebrow. She must have gone blue again.

"Nah, that's the really deep blues and stuff," Fred said offhandedly. "You've got this bright-bright blue. Like the sky or the sea or something."

"Huh," she hummed idly, curling her finger just enough to trace her fingernail on his forehead and then push it into his hairline.

Fred was quite for a little while, staring around apparently thoughtful. Then he asked, "What color am I?"

"What?" Katrina said, snapping out of it and giving him a perplexed sort of look.

"If I were a color," he explained, "what would I be?"

A little surprised, she looked him over, freckles and all. What an odd question. But no matter how odd, one color was blaring through her head, bright and obnoxious. Katrina scrunched up her face in distaste.

"Orange," she said finally.

"Orange!" Fred repeated, looking pleased.

"I hate orange," Katrina said blandly. "It's too bright and — and it's the direct opposite of my blue."

"That's perfect," Fred nodded contently. Katrina frowned.

"I suppose opposites attract," she mumbled.

"Exactly," he agreed, reaching up and pulling Katrina's hand over to his ear so she could play with it instead. "I don't think we're opposites, though."

"No?" Katrina furrowed her eyebrows, pinching his earlobes. "I'm nothing like you, in my opinion."

"Sure you are," Fred waved his hand airily, batting bits of her hair off her shoulder as he did. "You like pranks, don't you? Otherwise you wouldn't be helping us. 'Specially fireworks, you really like them. And, if I remember correctly, you were the one who said last night was the best night of your life."

"Hmph," Katrina grunted, looking around the common room again.

Fred, looking thoroughly pleased with himself, stretched further on the couch until he took up every inch of it.

* * *

The rest of the day was absolutely horrible. Hogwarts security was at its tightest, and they weren't trying to hide it at all. Katrina bounced from content with Fred to a nervous wreck all over again, only to be helped when the boys all joked around with her and made her feel better. Twice more she nearly broke down and cried — Fred, George, and Lee had apparently made a pact between themselves to stick by her side no matter where she went, including the girls' lavatory. That didn't mesh well with Moaning Myrtle, but she eased up once George — reluctantly — began to flatter her (it took her forever to believe he was being sincere, though; Katrina had a feeling Myrtle wept more than she did).

Monday wasn't any better. Rumors were flying wild, and Ron was at the head of it all. His stories were growing gradually more and more dramatic. Around Noon, Katrina finally decided to get away from it all — or as far away as she could.

"So we're skipping lunch?" George asked exasperatedly as he, Fred, Lee, and Katrina marched out of the blabbering Great Hall. "All for a spot of tea with Lupin?"

"You can stay and eat if you want to," Katrina said, maybe just the slightest bit annoyed. "I never said you had to follow me everywhere."

"Oh, no," Fred smirked. "I want to see how Lupin reacts when he sees his favorite student."

"I am _not_ his favorite —"

"Alright, alright," Lee chortled, waving his hands up and down slowly as their group piled through a wall that was, in fact, not a wall at all. "Calm down, boys and girl, no need to get miffed."

"Calm down," Katrina snorted quietly as they emerged into a different corridor. "I don't need to _calm down._"

"It would be nice if you relaxed a little," Fred snickered from behind her, giving her shoulder a light thump. "That anxious to see Loony Lupin, are we?"

"He's not 'loony'," Katrina snapped, "he's actually quite smart."

"We know, we know," George groaned. "We have lessons with him, you twit."

"I'm not a twit, either."

"Shut up and walk!"

Katrina gave Fred a glare from over her shoulder, but continued to trek down the hallway and around a corner.

Lee and Fred sniggered quietly to themselves as George moaned on and on about how hungry he was. It took them all another two minutes just to get to Lupin's office, all the while Katrina growing more annoyed.

She knocked on the door, suddenly nervous again. What if Lupin was busy, or more stressed than she was about Black roaming around? Glancing at the boys, Katrina made a mental note not to mention any of Lupin's old schoolmates.

She knocked again, this time a bit quieter. There was still no answer.

George frowned. "Seems like Lupin's off on Security Duty."

"Oh well," Fred shrugged with a grin. "That's too bad. C'mon, Trina, let's go get some lunch —!"

Just as he had turned on his heel to walk back down the corridor, however, Lupin appeared from around the corner, adjusting his patched robes and muttering softly to himself.

"Oh!" he exclaimed quietly as he caught sight of them.

"Hullo, Professor!" Lee said brightly, slapping George on the back as he gave a muffled grumble.

"Hello, Lee," Lupin nodded to them, walking up to his door. "Hello, Fred, George, Katrina. I thought you might be visiting today, that's why I'm back — I figured you would've eaten before, though. . ."

"Wotcher, Professor," Katrina sighed, moving out of the way so Lupin could get into his office. "Sorry, I just — I just really didn't want to deal with all the rumors going around is all. . . ."

"I see you've brought company," Lupin said with a chuckle as he tapped the door handle with his wand, clicking it, and opening it wide into his office.

"They won't leave me alone," she mumbled irritably as the professor waved them all inside, closing the door after George (who looked slightly crestfallen).

"Not without good reason," Lee laughed, but stopped abruptly when Katrina sent him a dirty look.

"What reason is that?" Lupin asked, gliding over to his kettle and tapping it, too. "Four cups of tea today?"

"Yes, please," Katrina said quickly, hoping none of the boys would answer.

"You should've seen her Saturday, Professor," Fred said brightly. Katrina slumped into the chair in front of Lupin's desk, rubbing her hand over her eyes exasperatedly. "A right mess, she was. 'Course, if we want to be truthful, she's always a right mess —"

"Watch your mouth," she said sharply. Lupin only chuckled, pouring hot tea into five cups.

"Go on," he said to Fred.

"Well, y'see," Fred continued, leaning on the back of Katrina's chair, "she's got a bit of a disliking for Sirius Black, which is understandable. But Trina can be a bit of an anxious person sometimes, more anxious than usual, I mean. In other words, she's a wimp."

"I am _not_ a wimp!" Katrina said indignantly, turning around in her seat so she could get a good look at him. Fred was beaming at her cheekily.

"Quite understandable," Lupin nodded again, handing the twins, Lee, and Katrina each a cup of tea before taking his own and sitting in his chair. "Pull up a few seats, boys, they should be by the Grindylow."

The boys did as they were told, sitting their cups down as they found a few moth-eaten chairs and sat on either side of the desk, Lee at Katrina's side. George gave the Grindylow in the tank a weary glance, watching as it flicked up an offensive, bony finger, hissed, and ducked behind the safety of its seaweed.

"But yeah," Lee said, "we've sort of been following her around ever since yesterday."

"Don't want her to collapse in a fit of hysterics," George snorted from his seat, fiddling with the handle of his teacup and looking bored.

"I _don't —_"

"We know," the boys all chorused. Katrina took an aggravated sip of tea while Lupin chuckled to himself despite how tired he looked.

She felt suddenly worried again. At this moment, she could have been eating lunch with everyone else and simply ignoring the rumors flying around, but she had decided to bother Lupin instead. He probably needed a good rest, but here she was, keeping him up and stressed!

"Katrina," Lupin said, making her jump and stare wildly at him, "is there anything that _you_ would like to talk about?"

"Huh?" she asked dumbly. Fred and Lee began to snicker again. "I mean — um — not really? I don't think there's anything in particular, Professor. . . ."

"Are you sure?" Lupin asked, taking a sip of his tea while glancing, amused, between the boys.

"Well," Katrina furrowed her eyebrows in thought, rubbing her finger around the rim of her teacup, "not _really,_ I don't think —"

"Sounds about right," George mumbled. Lee and Fred snorted loudly as Katrina nearly slammed her tea onto the desk again, the drink sloshing dangerously inside the cup while she shot George a withering look.

"If you're so bloody hungry," she seethed, "get up and eat, for Merlin's sake! I'm not keeping you here!"

"I think I will," he said grumpily, chugging down the rest of his tea and standing up again. "Thanks for the tea, Professor."

"You're very welcome," Lupin nodded calmly. George quickly stuck his tongue out at Katrina before leaving the office, closing the door as loudly as he could without slamming it.

"Now," the professor said quietly to Katrina with a humorous glint in his eyes, "which one was that?"

"George," she said with Lee. Fred rolled his eyes from his seat, slumping into it; he apparently wanted to trick Lupin into thinking he was George, but Katrina had no idea why.

"What now?" she groaned, looking at him with a frown. "You're not mad at me too, are you?"

"No," Fred shook his head as he glumly took a sip of his tea. "Just bored to death. Sorry, Professor, but this isn't anything like the dates I imagined you two having."

"I'm going to kill him," Katrina said casually as she picked up her teacup again. Lupin raised a single eyebrow and she continued, "He keeps insisting that we're dating or something of the sort, Professor, and he won't stop bugging me about it."

"Oh, c'mon, Trina," Lee laughed as Fred groaned loudly from his seat and kicked his legs a little, "he's just jealous is all!"

"Jealous?" Lupin asked, raising his other eyebrow. Fred snorted again as Katrina began to laugh nervously, taking a few uncertain sips of her tea and looking between Fred and Lee worriedly.

"Oh, yes," Lee continued wickedly. "They've each got a thing for each other, see? You should've seen them on the train, really, it's horrible how gushy they are!"

"Hush," Katrina said quickly as Lupin began to chuckle.

"Is that so?" he asked, clearly interested as he looked from Katrina to Fred, who was shaking his empty teacup over his extended tongue, distracted.

"Yep!" Lee continued brightly, sitting his teacup down on the desk and crossing his arms smugly, all the while Katrina sending the side of his head a steady glare. "Word is that they snogged around the Forbidden Forest —"

"Okay!" Katrina shouted suddenly, hair flaring bright lavender. "That's enough, no need to get into _specifics!_" she hissed at Lee, who sniggered behind his hands. Fred had jerked out of his trance and was staring at Katrina, confused.

"What's gotten into you?" he asked.

Sighing deeply, Katrina sank back into her chair, giving Lupin a look that she hoped expressed just how unamused she was. By the look on his face, Lupin understood, but felt the direct opposite.

"She doesn't want to admit that she snogged you once," Lee said matter-of-factly.

"Actually," Fred shrugged a little as he raised his hands to count on his fingers, "about four times since Saturday."

"_Fred!_" Katrina cried indignantly.

"I see," Lupin chortled, cracking a small smile. "Well, I can assure you that I would never participate in any sort of teacher-student relationship."

"That's assuring, thanks," Fred joked and rolled his eyes.

Katrina continued to sink lower and lower in her chair, shaking her head as she rubbed her eyes with her hands. Right now, she'd rather be talking about Sirius Black.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE**

* * *

_poooooooooop_


	24. BUTTER YOU UP

The surprise Katrina felt when she heard that the Hogsmeade trip was still on for the weekend was nearly unbearable. _Really?_ Sirius Black had been sighted in the castle — a dormitory, no less! — and they were still letting them go outside the school grounds? It was preposterous!

The boys, however, didn't seem to care at all. In fact, when Katrina tried to tell them of her worries, they shrugged it off and said that Hogsmeade was being patrolled every night by Dementors. Even though that did make her feel a bit better, she was still reluctant to leave Hogwarts the following Saturday.

"Oh, c'mon, Katrina," Lee said, nudging her closer and closer to the doors that lead out, "Lighten up a little! You need a day out!"

"You really do, love," Fred piped as he thumped Katrina on the back, nearly sending her into a group of second year Slytherins.

"Too much stress," George continued with a nod as he pulled her back by the arm, only to shove her past Filch and into the courtyard. "What you need, Trina, is a day of relaxation!"

"As if I'll be able to relax with you three hounding my arse!" Katrina snapped, hopping away from the boys and irritatedly wiping her jeans with her hands. "Honestly, I can walk by myself! I don't need you pushing me every which way!"

Fred waggled his eyebrows. "Hounding your arse, are we?"

"Don't start," she said sternly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Does that mean you'll go?" Lee asked hopefully.

Katrina sighed before uncrossing her arms again, sliding them into her hoodie pocket and looking to the side. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt, it is daytime after all . . . and Hogsmeade'll be flooded by students and people, so I doubt Black'll want to show up anyways. . . ."

"Yes!" they all cried. Katrina smiled a little despite her worries. Their cheeriness could be a bit infectious.

Minutes later she found herself walking down the road to Hogsmeade, a twin clasped to each arm and Lee leading the way, speaking wildly about how brilliant the Montrose Magpies were playing this season. Katrina listened intently, mostly just because they were Alex's favorite team. She had grown rather fond of the Magpies; however, if she were to name her favorite Quidditch team, it would be the Holyhead Harpies by a long shot.

"Honestly, if they keep going on like this, they'll win the League again!" Lee said joyfully, snapping Katrina out of her daydreams of meeting Gwenog Jones.

"I dunno," George said, "the Ballycastle Bats are doing pretty good this season, too."

"Yeah, well," Lee replied confidently, "they're only doing about as good as Puddlemere United, and we _all_ know the Magpies can beat them!"

"Is that what you think?"

Katrina swiveled her head around along with the twins to find that same Malfoy boy that had bullied Harry. She frowned, as did Fred and George. Lee began to walk backwards, snorting loudly and rolling his eyes.

"Clearly, the Falmouth Falcons are the best team there is," the Malfoy boy drawled. "They've got the best tactics in the whole league, you know."

"Only if you count playing dirty as tactics," George scowled. The Malfoy boy's face contorted in an ugly sneer.

"Shut up, Weasley. You obviously don't know a good team when you see one. Still rooting for the Canons, aren't you?"

"Oi!" Katrina shouted, pulling her arms out of the twins' elbows and turning around to face the boy. "Don't talk to them like that, have you any idea how rude you sound?"

Malfoy suddenly stopped sneering and looked Katrina up and down as if he hadn't seen her before. And then he glowered. "You're that girl Professor Snape was talking about, aren't you? The Rhinehart who bawls her eyes out all the time. Is that your only talent? Or is changing your hair color one, too?"

Katrina was only vaguely aware that her hair had turned white. The rest of her face was boiling and her throat had tightened considerably. The tall, gorilla-like brutes behind Malfoy sniggered, much to his enjoyment. Smirking, he said, "Is it just me, or has everyone turned red?"

"Piss off, Malfoy," Fred grumbled.

"What was that?" Malfoy drawled. "Sorry, I couldn't hear you. Speak up."

"I said," Fred said loudly, "p_iss off!_"

Malfoy laughed quietly to himself, looking back at the massive boys behind him. "Sounds angry, doesn't he?" he asked them. The two boys nodded their heads dumbly.

"Do you not know what 'piss off' means?" Katrina asked calmly. Malfoy's eyes flicked back to her.

"Of course I do," he snarled. "I'm not daft."

"Are you sure?" she asked. "Because I think only a daft person would stick around when they've clearly been told to piss off."

"Shut your mouth, Rhinehart," Malfoy said, annoyed. "Otherwise, I might just tell my father — he's got ties with the Ministry, you know. He could get your sorry excuse of a father fired."

"My father is brilliant!" she retaliated sharply.

"Brilliant at imitating apes, maybe," Malfoy scoffed. "And imagine what it would do to your family if he lost his job — your mum's too lazy for work, isn't she? Father's told me about her, too. Filthy Mudblood, doesn't know how to hold her wand in the right direction!"

Katrina sucked in such a swift breath she nearly felt dizzy.

Fred and George had jumped forward instantly. Lee was quick enough to grab both of their arms and pull them back, but just barely.

"How _dare_ you!" Katrina shrieked. She was advancing on Malfoy, though the only way she knew was because his expression had suddenly become terrified. "My mother was a brilliant witch and still is to this day! My father's one of the best bloody Aurors out there and you and your bloody father know it! He was trained by Alastor-bloody-Moody just a few years after he graduated and excelled in every test the Ministry shot at him! And, might I remind you, my mother — who is a Muggle-born and has only Muggle lineage for many, many, many generations — had the best NEWT scores for her whole bloody class! Meanwhile, throughout all of this, I haven't heard about your _bleeding_ father once! _Not once!_ And you have the — the — the obscenity to act like your parents could possibly be better than mine? Look at you, a spoiled prat, standing there and thinking you're better than everyone else all because you haven't got Muggle in your blood!"

"Y-you're mad!" Malfoy stuttered. Even his cronies looked scared.

"No, _you're_ mad! I'm bloody _brilliant!_"

After stomping her foot and furiously and yanking her hoodie hem below her pockets, Katrina turned around on her foot and grabbed each twin harshly by the forearm, pulling them through the crowd that had formed around them all.

"Er —" Lee stuttered as he looked between Katrina's back and Malfoy's blank expression, "what she said!"

It took a good amount of jogging for Lee to rejoin the twins and Katrina. She was still dragging them along, looking something fierce. Fred and George were hardly any different — both were fuchsia to the tips of their ears and spluttering an impeccable amount of vulgar words in Malfoy's direction.

"That was — absolutely — blooming — wicked," Lee puffed, "in every — sense of — the word!"

"Thanks," Katrina grumbled, "it's nice to know I'm good at blowing up."

"Blowing up?" George asked shrilly. "_Blowing up?_ You didn't blow up, you erupted!"

Just as she was about to reply rather dismally, Fred decided to intervene instead. "It was like poetry!" he said, and when Katrina looked back at him, she was somewhat surprised to see he was serious. "If I could listen to somebody screaming at Malfoy like that every day — Merlin's pants — I'd be the happiest man in the world! That was a masterpiece!"

"Well, um," Katrina said quietly, finally slipping her hands back down to her sides and looking down at her feet as she walked, "he just . . . rubbed me the wrong way or something."

"Of course he did!" Lee said quickly. "You don't just throw that word around like that! You're not supposed to use it at all!"

"I would've been surprised if you didn't get angry!" George agreed. He was slowly loosing the redness in his face. "Blimey, I wanted to pound his ugly face in, right then and there!"

"I saw that," Katrina sighed, glancing at him from the corner of her eye, and then at Fred. He was still quite magenta. "You shouldn't have reacted so badly. I'll probably get detention now, since that Malfoy is such a whiner. You're lucky that Lee was there to hold you back, otherwise you would've been likely to be expelled."

"Yes! Thank you!" Lee cried, hugging Katrina from behind and thoroughly startling her. "Finally! The recognition I deserve!"

The twins snorted lightly. Fred was loosening up, and Katrina saw the back of his neck ease into its normal color again.

"You're welcome," Katrina laughed quietly, patting Lee's hand. He let go of her shoulders and jumped around again until he was facing the three of them, walking backwards once more.

"Can you believe that, though? He's such an prick! Thinking the _Falmouth Falcons_ are better than the Magpies — as if! The only thing the Falcons are good at is starting a fight."

"Their Seeker can't even fly in a straight line," George said, nudging Katrina's elbow.

"Their Beaters, too!" Fred joined in. "Can't hit a Bludger worth a damn! You'd think they were trying to hit their own faces with their bats or something."

"Sounds like a dreadful team," Katrina laughed.

"It is," the boys chorused.

* * *

When they arrived at Hogsmeade, Katrina was immediately pounced by Cora, Angelina, Alicia, and Katie. They asked the usual questions — "Where have you been?" and things like that. Katrina was much more distracted, though, by the large group of chattering Hufflepuffs coming from over the way, talking about what had just happened, no doubt. As quickly as she could, she grabbed the twins' elbows and began to pull them away before they could answer. But, seeing as she didn't have a third arm, Lee couldn't be dragged away and quickly explained what had happened before she came back to collect.

Just as Cora turned to her with the most shocked expression, Katrina threw George into her, hoping that he would be enough of a distraction for a getaway. And then she turned around on the balls of her feet and rushed away, almost stiff. It wasn't until she was halfway down High Street did she realize she still had her hand clamped over Fred's arm.

"Merlin, Katrina," he smirked as they slowed to a speed walk, "If you wanted to get me alone, why didn't you just ask?"

"Hush," she mumbled, yanking him forward as she glanced over her shoulder. In the distance, Lee was laughing at Cora, who Katrina could tell was bright red despite how far away she was. "I just don't want to deal with being interrogated right now."

"Why not?" Fred asked, slipping his arm out of Katrina's grip just enough to take her hand. "Don't tell me you don't like the attention?"

"Of course I don't," she snapped. "Do you honestly think I want to be nagged on right now?"

He shrugged. "Nah. C'mon, let's walk."

Katrina gave him an odd glance before complying, albeit a little reluctantly.

"What are you planning?" she asked him as she looked over her shoulder again. Lee was now talking to Angelina, who was waving one of her hands; Cora was frowning from beside George, still rather pink. Katrina quickly looked back to Fred.

"I'm planning on telling you that you are absolutely _magnificent._" He laughed quietly, tugging her across the street. "_Nobody_ ought to talk to you that way, and you stood up for yourself! Amazing, really."

"Nobody ought to talk to anyone that way," she corrected him. Fred shrugged again.

"I'm trying to flatter you," he said from the corner of his mouth as a couple Slytherin girls passed by, glaring. "You know, butter you up."

"At least you're honest," Katrina whispered as she averted her eyes. Almost wistfully, she stared at Tomes and Scrolls. It would be so nice and empty in there compared to the packed streets of Hogsmeade, and with luck, have no Slytherins (or any other students, really) inside.

Fred looked between the store and Katrina for a couple of moments, sighed, and began to drag her towards it.

"Bookworm," he grumbled jokingly as she might have held his hand a bit tighter.

"Shut up," Katrina said, shoving her arm into his but shooting him a thankful glance.

"Speaking of books," Fred said brightly as the store loomed nearer, "the ones you bought for George and me — you know, _Madcap Magic for Wacky Warlocks_ and _Saucy Tricks for Tricky Sorts_ — were really wonderful, thanks. That's all we needed, more ideas for practical jokes and such."

"You're very good at this flattering stuff," Katrina laughed quietly as Fred stepped forward to grab the door.

"Call me gifted," he smirked, swinging the door to Tomes and Scrolls open with a loud ding from a bell overhead.

"Or experienced," Katrina quipped, rising her chin triumphantly as she stepped inside.

"Just means I know what I'm doing," Fred winked.

"You're horrible," she breathed distractedly, looking around the bookstore in undisguised wonder and excitement. It had that smell of wood and crisp pages that she loved so much and the deep silence of being deserted.

"Thank you!" Fred grinned. "Now, what should we look at first?"

"We?" she turned to him, eyebrows raised in surprise.

Fred blinked. "Yes?"

"Oh! Oh, um," Katrina quickly turned back to the bookshelves, looking over them rather quickly with a rising blush — nobody had ever offered to go book shopping with her before, not even Cora. "Why not, um, Fiction? Does Fiction sound good?"

"I don't care," Fred said, brushing a few fingers through his hair with a funny-looking frown. "It's a bunch of books regardless. I don't like reading in the first place."

Shoulders slumping, Katrina scowled and sent him another look from the corner of her eye. "Damn Gryffindors," she grumbled as she began to trudge down to the Fiction aisles, pulling Fred along, "don't read, don't work, don't do anything."

"That's not true!" he said. "George and I read those books you sent us for Christmas, honest!"

"Oh, no, I know!" Katrina said sourly, picking up a random book and flipping the cover open. "You sent that bloody Howler because of one of them!"

"Do you use 'bloody' a lot when you get angry?" Fred asked quickly. Katrina thought he changed the subject on purpose, but quirked an eyebrow anyway.

"I . . . don't . . . know?"

"I think you do," he nodded, plucking the book out of her hands and flipping through its pages. "You've used it about seven times today."

"Have you been counting?" Katrina asked coldly, stealing the book back before snapping it shut and shoving it back onto the shelf in a not-so-careful way.

"Maybe," Fred said as he gave the book's spine an odd frown.

Exhaling promptly from her nose, Katrina closed her eyes and shook her head. When she opened them again, she found Fred staring at her, brow furrowed in thought. Then he grinned an incredibly goofy grin.

Katrina valiantly fought to keep the corners of her mouth from twitching upwards, but failed horribly. "Stop it," she laughed as Fred's grin only grew goofier, "stop it, I'm supposed to be unimpressed by your stupidity!"

"Ah, but you're not!" he cried quietly. "In fact, I'd go so far as to say you're impressed by my stupidity!"

"_Shut up!_" Katrina giggled, punching his arm lightly and beginning to grin herself.

"Never!" Fred laughed, and before she could really process it, he had planted his lips on the corner of her mouth.

Just as Katrina was about to kiss him back, Fred pulled away again, looking rather pleased with himself.

"Aren't we supposed to be doing something?" he asked. "Looking at books? Yes, yes, that's right — sorry."

And he winked.

Katrina frowned. For some reason, she felt a little . . . disappointed.

Sighing silently to herself, she turned back to the bookshelf. Once she was actually reading the titles of the books and whatnot, Fred slipped a hand onto her hip and leaned into her ear, still beaming.

"I haven't stopped buttering you up yet, love."

* * *

"_Must_ we go to the Shrieking Shack?" Katrina whined, swinging her bags of chocolates and books around like a child.

"Of course we must!" Fred said giddily. "You can't just come to Hogsmeade and not visit the Shrieking Shack!"

"I can," Katrina mumbled worriedly. "It gives me the willies. . . ."

Fred snorted loudly with a stifled laugh.

"Be quiet," she snapped quickly. "I just don't like it! It's creepy!"

"That's what makes it amazing!" Fred piped. "Imagine what it's like inside — I bet it's all bloody and tattered! And there's supposed to be these really old, ugly ghosts that haunt it, and they groan and shriek and that's how they named it the Shrieking Shack —"

"I know!" Katrina intervened fearfully. "That's why I don't like it! Imagine what could have happened to those poor people!"

"Oh, stop being such a wuss," Fred scoffed, scooping Katrina from around the waist and tugging her farther and farther down the road. "Think of it like an adventure! Plus, what could ghosts possibly do to us?"

"I-I don't know!" she cried shrilly. "Haunt us for the rest of our lives?"

"Sounds interesting, to me," Fred said cheerfully.

Katrina whined again, looking pleadingly over her shoulder for anyone who could possibly help. All she could find was a group of glowering Slytherins.

When they finally arrived at the fence that divided Hogsmeade from the Shack's area, Katrina began to cling to Fred's arm, glowering at the tall, rickety house in the distance. He didn't seem to mind at all — actually, if she wanted to be honest, he almost looked like he was enjoying how anxious she felt.

"C'mon," he whispered, nudging her shoulder with his, "let's get a closer look."

"What?" Katrina squeaked, looking up at him. "No! No, no, no, I'm perfectly fine right here!"

Fred pouted, but eventually groaned and leaned on the fence instead of dragging her any further. "Fine," he grumbled as he did, "it's not like I _want_ you to act like a cute girl or something and cry into my shoulder."

"Fine," Katrina mimicked obnoxiously, leaning in beside him and looping her bags around a fence post, "as if I would have done any of that anyways!"

"You totally would have."

"I totally would _not_ have!"

"Keep telling yourself that, Trina, maybe one day it'll come true."

"I will!"

Fred laughed quietly, shaking his head and rubbing his cheek with his hand. "You are a character, really and truly."

"You're damn right that I am," Katrina smirked as she raised her nose snootily.

"Is that some confidence I hear?" he asked, jutting his hip into hers and raising his eyebrows.

". . . No," she told him truthfully, chewing her cheek and looking down to her feet, crossing them back and forth. "I just wanted the last word. . . ."

"Are you sure?" Fred chuckled, leaning over so their shoulders banged together lightly. " 'Cause I don't think you were one to stand up for yourself at all fourth year, were you?"

"Not . . . _exactly,_ no," Katrina said slowly.

"If you ask me," Fred cooed as he continued to lean in closer, almost victoriously, "I'd say I was rubbing off on you!"

And he pecked the corner of her mouth again.

"N-not just you!" Katrina stuttered as he pulled away again, slipping his arm around her waist lazily. "George and Lee, too! And — and —"

But he was shooting her that goofy grin again, and he bit his lip before looking her up and down, because surely that tingly feeling was her hair turning violet and the rest of her face flushing red.

"— and you," she finished. "Not just you, but you."

"So it's not me," Fred laughed, "but it's me?"

"Yes?" Katrina smiled doubtfully.

"Are you admitting that I, Fred Weasley, have influenced the brilliant Katrina?" he asked, bumping his nose into hers and looking playful.

Katrina quirked one side of her mouth a little higher than the other in a smirk. "Maybe."

Fred looked even more whimsical as she pushed her nose back into his and kept it there, smushed and uncomfortable but comical no less. They stared at each other for quite some time, grinning wider and wider as they did. Again, that bubbling feeling was there — at this point, Katrina figured it must always be there when Fred was around and that she was just too preoccupied to notice it — and it was driving her crazy. All she wanted was for him to sweep forward and kiss her again, but he didn't seem keen on moving any time soon.

She had begun to fiddle with his jacket, tugging a little on it here or there and running her thumb over the open zipper. If she could just . . . _lead him into it_ or something, maybe then he would kiss her? Katrina tugged on it again, this time a bit firmer. Fred only chuckled.

He knew what she was doing, didn't he? She narrowed her eyes at him, watching as his goofy smile turned into something a little more charming. Yes, and he was teasing her.

"To be honest," he whispered, "I thought I'd have to buy you a _Butter_beer before we got this far. Geddit? _Butter_ you up, _Butter_beer —"

"Will you just _shut up?_"

Katrina slung her arms around Fred's neck and tilted her head to the side, so that her nose smashed into his cheek and her lips collided with his. He exclaimed in a surprised sort of way, but then threw his arms into the hair, jumping around a little in victory.

She pulled away again, laughing as Fred whooped loudly to himself.

"I did it!" he shouted, "I got you to snog me! _Ha!_" Katrina eyed the finger he had begun to waggled in her face, amused.

Oh — sorry," Fred said as he bit his lip again, throwing his hands behind his back and raising his eyebrows expectantly at her. "Go on."

"Thank you," she breathed. Katrina leaned in again, curling her hands up and into Fred's hair before kissing him again. This time he gracefully complied, merging his lips into hers and making that bubbling feeling erupt into something awfully hot and unbearable. And, for some reason, she liked it.

As Katrina found herself pulling him closer, Fred seemed to have lost his ability to stand still. His hands snapped around her upper back and pressed between her shoulder blades, sending her chest into his snugly. Then he straightened up to his full height, pulling Katrina with him so that she was barely on the tips of her toes when he gave her top lip a nip.

When she squeaked and pulled away, surely glowing a brighter violet than before, Fred only took control. He snatched up her bottom lip, pinching her sides just enough to make her giggle.

"Somebody's — going to — find us — snogging!" she laughed between Fred's kisses.

"Who cares?" he grumbled lightheartedly, pecking her nose.

"I might," Katrina said as she returned to the heels of her feet, making Fred miss her nose again and instead kiss her forehead.

He scowled. "Well, _I_ don't."

"Tell you what," she whispered with another smirk, leaning up again to peck his cheek, "we can snog all you want in the Three Broomsticks if we leave this ruddy place right now."

Fred immediately swiveled on his feet, pulling Katrina by the waist up to the main road again. "To the Three Broomsticks!"

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR**

* * *

_This was actually meant to be for Valentine's Day but then I got sick again whoops ;u; sorry  
_

_In other news, Katrina now has a blog! You can check it out and talk to her by clicking the link in my profile! o;_


	25. THE MANY LEVELS OF BUTTERFLIES AND ANGER

Katrina clanked her glass tankard back onto the table, giving Fred a glance from the corner of her eye. "No," she said, "you can't have some of my Butterbeer. You shouldn't have chugged all of yours in one go."

"_But Trina,_" he whined, slumping into her and shoving his head into the crook of her neck, "I don't have the money to buy another!"

"You should've thought about that before you tried to impress me with your by far superior chugging abilities."

"Please?" Fred asked after giving Katrina's jaw a quick peck.

"Nope," she replied casually, sliding her Butterbeer away from his fingers, which were sneaking up onto the table. Fred scowled. "You'd be drinking after me, too. You know how much I hate that —"

"You say that even after we've spent the whole day snogging?"

"Yes, yes I do."

As Fred slumped back into their booth, looking crestfallen and a little annoyed, Katrina continued, "And we haven't been snogging _all_ day. Just for the last hour or so."

"Yeah," Fred grumbled, "and that's not nearly enough."

Snorting, Katrina placed her elbow onto the table, turning so she could look at him and quirk an eyebrow. "Oh, really? What, do we need to rent out an unused classroom or something and make-out for the whole day?"

At this, Fred abruptly sat up with his hands gripping Katrina's knees, a sort of wild look in his eyes. "Absolutely," he said.

Katrina blinked once, then twice. Once she took in the ginormous grin spreading over his face, she found herself laughing louder than she ever had before.

"Stop it!" she screeched quietly, pushing his face away with her hand. "Stop it! Stop, stop, stop! You're horrible!"

"You are a genius!" Fred said loudly as he dodged her second push and grabbed her wrist with his hand. "That's exactly what we'll do, sneak into a deserted classroom every day and snog until our mouths fall off!"

"No, no!" Katrina laughed, yanking her wrist but to no avail. "I was joking, you twit! Joking! And I know you know what joking is!"

"Of course I know what joking is!" Fred retaliated seriously. "But snogging is no joking matter! Do you have any idea how un-joking of a matter snogging is, Katrina?"

Katrina giggled as he pulled her hand up and around his neck. "How un-joking is it, Fred?"

"_Very_ un-joking," he whispered matter-of-factly.

"So un-joking," she whispered back before biting her lip and glancing over to the side, then back at Fred, "that you could say it was — oh, I don't know — _serious?_"

"Incredibly serious," Fred whispered so quietly that Katrina barely heard it, even though her forehead was pressed onto his.

"To bad we're not serious then," she smirked.

"Who said we're not serious?" Fred chuckled, quirking an eyebrow. Katrina squinted.

"Who said we _were_ serious?" she asked. He squinted right back.

"Can we be serious and not serious at the same time?" he asked as he tilted his head to the side. "It's a very pressing question. . . ."

"Very pressing indeed. . . ." Katrina mumbled, tilting her head in the opposite direction.

And when they kissed again, she couldn't help but laugh at the sudden bubbly feeling coursing through her innards, tickling the lining of her stomach and making her chest swell. The best way to describe it was the most typical — like butterflies.

Fred was laughing, too. Katrina could feel his smile as he smashed his lips into hers, feel the tiny breaths blasting into her cheek from his nose. With a sudden heart leap, she realized that, just maybe, he might feel the same way that she did.

But whatever uplifting thoughts she might have been able to think as she curled her hand into Fred's hair were brutally interrupted by the sound of revolted gagging.

"Snogging!" Alex cried as Katrina and Fred moved away from each other again, both looking rather surprised. Katrina was turning a vivid shade of violet. "They're snogging! _In public!_"

The whole of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team snickered from behind him, covering their mouths with their hands and whispering between themselves. If possible, Katrina turned even brighter purple.

"I mean, don't get me wrong, I _knew_ you snogged in all of those deserted classrooms —" Alex began to snigger, but was cut off by Fred suddenly jumping up, waving his hands wildly in the air.

"_See?_" He shouted at Katrina. "_See?_ They think we should snog in unused classrooms, too!"

The Hufflepuffs only laughed louder. Katrina fought the urge to slide down her booth and wring her hands together, instead wriggling around a bit until she sat taller and straighter than before, sitting on her fingers.

"Haven't you got somewhere to be?" she seethed to Alex, who was nearly doubled over, grasping Cedric's arm to keep himself from falling.

"No!" he exclaimed. "No, I don't! That's the beauty of it!"

It turned out that the Hufflepuffs were, in fact, without anything to do — that was why they were in the Three Broomsticks in the first place. They had been planning on spending the day in Spintwitches, but Alex and his teammates had all finished shopping much earlier than expected. Then he spotted Katrina and Fred, snogging in their own secluded booth like a few other couples (Cora and George included). Now they were all sitting, crowded, at their one tiny little table, hip-to-hip and reaching around to exchange Quidditch gear and whatnot. Katrina thought her insides would be squeezed out of her mouth by the time Cedric shuffled in beside her, but thankfully Fred had enough room to slide her shoulders under his arm and give her a bit of a breather.

"Sorry," Cedric said quietly to her, "I did my best to hide you from view, but your brother could be a Seeker when it comes to spotting you."

"Not really," Fred said gruffly. "She is bright blue most of the time, you know."

Katrina gave him a queer glance, but shrugged it off and instead looked to Alex, who was directly across from her, grinning and kicking his toes lightly into her shins almost cheekily.

After rolling her eyes, she turned to Maxine O'Flaherty and Anthony Rickett, the Beaters and only fifth years on the team. They were both in her Herbology class, along with Cora and the majority of the other fifth year Hufflepuffs.

"Wotcher," Katrina said to them both. Anthony smirked as Maxine leaned in on her elbows, looking clearly interested.

"Hullo," she said with a wink. "What're you up to?"

"What did it look like?" Fred asked grumpily.

"He's a bit cross, isn't he?" Cedric whispered to Katrina as she elbowed Fred in the ribs.

"Oh, yes," she replied offhandedly, "but he's always like this."

"I am not," Fred spat back, using his other arm to massage his ribs as he glared a little at Herbert Fleet, the Hufflepuff Keeper that was sitting beside him and glubbing down his Butterbeer.

"No," Heidi Macavoy, a Chaser, giggled. "Just when other boys are around is all!"

"That's not true either!" Fred mumbled harshly, holding Katrina a little tighter by the shoulders. She snorted, rolled her eyes again, and raised her eyebrows at Alex. He only grinned wider.

The Hufflepuffs continued to crowd the table for many more minutes, picking on Fred until he was rather miffed indeed. But by the time the nape of his neck was nearly red, Cedric seemed to think that the damage had been done and slid out of the booth.

"Alright, alright," he chuckled to his teammates, "let's leave these two alone, I don't think Fred's very pleased with us right now."

"You're damn right I'm not," Fred grumbled quietly in Katrina's ear as the Quidditch team groaned.

"But Cedric!" Alex whined. "We just got here!"

"Oi," Katrina laughed, kicking her brother lightly in the shin, "follow your Captain's orders!"

"That's right!" Cedric chortled back, turning around and waving his hands, motioning for the others to follow. "Now c'mon, the booth's too crowded for us anyways!"

After much more moaning and groaning, all the others piled out, leaving only Katrina and Fred in their booth along with some much-needed space. Just as they were leaving, though, something from across the pub seemed to catch Alex's eye.

"Actually. . ." he mumbled, "you all go on without me. . . ."

"What?" Tamsin Applebee asked. She looked around wildly for what Alex was looking at, but he waved it off. Katrina had already seen, though.

A girl sat all by herself, hunched over and looking down at her hands on the table, not a Butterbeer or other morsel of food or drink around. She looked rather alone, maybe even a little depressed, and the long yellow-and-black scarf pulled tightly around her neck didn't seem to be comfortable.

"Don't worry about it," Alex mumbled, already stepping through the crowd. "I'll be back in a moment!"

"See you then," Cedric said, quirking an eyebrow but shrugging and continuing on to a very empty booth, the most of his teammates behind him.

"Stupid pricks," Fred grumbled as he reached over to Katrina's Butterbeer and took a gulp of it. "We were alright, just snogging, but they just _had_ to barge in, didn't they?"

"Mhm," Katrina hummed mindlessly, peering around the table to get a better look at her brother. He was talking to the girl, who seemed rather startled, and was asking if he could sit across from her.

"Next time I see your brother snogging with that Bones girl, I'm going to waltz up to them and — and —"

Fred gave Katrina an odd look, not that she noticed. After frustratedly huffing to himself, he waved a hand in front of her face, making her jump and blink multiple times before turning back to him.

"Sorry," Katrina spluttered quickly, "wh-what were you saying?"

"What I was saying," Fred repeated slowly, widening his eyes as if to emphasize what he was saying, "was that the next time I see your brother and that Bones girl he likes so much snogging again, I'm going to interrupt him like —"

"_Susan?_" Katrina gasped, ignoring the way he was insinuating that she was daft and instead glancing over to Alex again, who was laughing along with the quiet girl (who still seemed rather uncomfortable). "He snogs _Susan?_"

"He's only liked her since his first year," Fred snorted, rolling his eyes and heavily sinking back into the booth.

"Really?" she leaned into him, grabbing his arm and hardly taking notice that Fred too another sip from her Butterbeer.

"What, did you not notice?" he asked imperiously, quirking an eyebrow and smirking down at her. "Some sister you are. But yeah, he's been crushing on her _forever._ How could you not have noticed?"

"How could _you_ have noticed?!" Katrina screeched quietly, stealing another glance at Alex. He was now standing, motioning for the girl to follow him — but she only shook her head.

"He's only _always _around her." Fred chuckled, wriggling his hip into hers to regain her attention.

"Yes," Katrina said, turning back to him with an exasperated look, "but I'm _always_ around you. That doesn't mean that I — that I —"

He shot her a suggestive look.

"A-and I'm always around George and Lee, too," Katrina quickly retaliated. "And Cora! A-and a good lot of the other Gryffindors, I'll have you know —"

"Oh, yes," Fred drawled dramatically, draping his arm over her shoulders again and drinking the last of her Butterbeer, "_please_ tell me how often you and that Lavender Brown hang out and snog in the girls' lavatory." But before Katrina could retort, he added, "Actually, don't tell me — I can just ask Moaning Myrtle. She'll tell me all of your make-out secrets in great, weeping detail."

She sighed, running a hand through her hair and grumpily yanking her empty tankard out of his hand, looking down into it to see if there was any drop left. There wasn't.

"Ah, c'mon, love," Fred teased, poking her cheek with his long, freckled nose, "just admit it already! Say it out loud, get that weight off your chest."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she snapped sharply, clanking the tankard onto the wooden table and raising her chin snootily. Fred snorted.

"If you don't say it, I will," he sang.

"Say what?" Katrina hissed.

"_Yoooooooouuuuuuuu,_" Fred said slowly, teasingly, even going to far as to twirl a finger in her face, "_liiiiiiiiiiike_ me!"

And even though she had seen it coming, Katrina began to stutter and blush and prickle uncomfortably anyways.

"S-since when h-have I — since when d-did I say that — that I — why would I —"

"Katrina, darling," Fred cooed sympathetically, pulling his arm back to his side and patting her hand in a consoling way, "we've been snogging for the last hour. I'm generally _quite positive_ that you are unequivocally in love with me."

"St-stop it!" Katrina squeaked, jerking her hand away and turning bright magenta. "I-I'm not — d-don't call me —"

"What?" he asked, swooping so close that his raised eyebrows nearly smashed into hers. "_Darling?_"

"Stop!" she screeched, shoving his face as far as possible from hers with both hands and desperately trying to fight off the blood rushing to her cheeks (though, in truth, she probably couldn't get any redder). "Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop!"

"Fffime!" Fred shouted, muffled because of Katrina's palms mashing his lips together. "Fffffffffinnnne!"

But she didn't move. Katrina sat, now stiff, still holding Fred's face as far from hers as she could. _Darling._ That was a whole other level of butterflies.

He grunted. Then he groaned. Slumping his shoulders, Fred waited a good three minutes for Katrina to finally remove her hands. She jerkily returned them to her lap, where she twisted her fingers together and began to chew on the inside of her cheek, idly watching Alex as he led the blond girl to his Quidditch team.

"Anyways," Fred said slowly, edging her painstakingly through the thousands of jumbled thoughts whirring through her brain, "George and I were thinking that tomorrow — y'know, a Sunday — would be the perfect time to sneak into the Boathouse and try out the Toffees."

"Oh," Katrina scowled. Shoving her blush and thoughts away, she said, "Have we got all the ingredients for the Swelling Solution? I think we do, but I don't know. . . ."

"I'm pretty sure we do," Fred nodded.

"Tomorrow, then," she sighed, sinking back into the booth as he slid his arm over her shoulders again. "After breakfast though, please."

"Sounds fine with me."

And the blond girl sat with Alex and his friends, fiddling with the sleeves covering her wrists.

* * *

Katrina stirred the Swelling Solution in an aggravated sort of way, grumbling to herself. For some reason, no matter how many times she waved her wand, it was still a murky yellow-green rather than its usual lime color. Her wand was probably acting up again — it tended to have spells where it simply would not obey.

"Is it ready yet?" George asked, peering over her shoulder keenly.

"Not sure," Katrina grunted in reply, stirring the potion clockwise and then anti-clockwise. A bubble popped on the surface, gurgling loudly.

"We've been here for _two hours._" Fred groaned, spread-eagled on the Boathouse floor.

"Why don't you just use it, then?" Katrina snapped, returning her spoon to the cauldron's side and watching it bubble in annoyance.

"Might as well," George shrugged.

Fred hopped up and over to their little area, where multiple toffees were strayed on the dirty stone floor along with Katrina's cauldron and charmed fire. He sat beside George, frowning in thought.

"So. . ." he said, "what do we do now?"

Katrina blinked. She hadn't thought of that.

"Maybe we can dip them into the potion?" George suggested.

"Sounds good to me!" Fred said quickly, picking up a toffee and pitching it into the cauldron.

It fizzed and spit the toffee right back out again. The twins looked at the sweet expectantly.

But it melted and filled a crack on the floor.

"Aww," Fred and George chorused. Katrina sighed.

"Oh well," she mumbled to herself, stuffing her wand into her pocket and preparing to stand up. "We'll think up some other ideas later, boys. Meanwhile, I think I'm going to visit Professor Lu—"

"Yeah, yeah," Fred waved his hand in her direction. "_Lupin._ We know."

"Fred and I are gonna stick around," George said as Katrina scowled at his brother. "Maybe you messed the potion up or something."

"I brewed it perfectly, thank you very much," Katrina spat.

"Of course, Your Brilliantness," the twins said together.

Exhaling pointedly from her nose, Katrina rose to her full height and shoved a handful of hair over her shoulder. "Bring me my Cauldron back when you're done."

"Yes, Your Brilliantness," they said.

She might have been slightly miffed by the time she stepped back behind the portrait and walked to the Grand Staircase again.

But, for some reason, when Katrina began to walk to Professor Lupin's office, she found herself uninterested. She had just visited him the other day, there wasn't really any need to see him again. So what was she supposed to do?

The answer hit her like a tonne of bricks. _Go to the Library._ She hadn't been there in weeks! Like any typical Ravenclaw, Katrina turned on the heel of her feet and marched towards the Library, now much happier. A good book sound _marvelous_ right now.

When she arrived, though, a good book was not waiting for her. Hermione was, sitting alone at a table and wiping her eyes furiously, a crumpled note in her hand.

"Oh," Katrina mumbled, hurrying over pulling out a chair immediately. Hermione squeezed her fist tighter and rubbed her eyes harder, letting Katrina know that she knew she was there. "Oh, is it Ron again?"

"No, no," Hermione choked quietly, shaking her head full of bushy brown hair and finally removing her hand from her face, revealing puffy and red eye along with tear-stained cheeks. "W-we're fine now, I apologized, b-but — but —"

"Well that's good," Katrina said soothingly and began to rub Hermione's back. But the Gryffindor instead shoved the note into her hand, beginning to sob as quietly as she could without Madam Pince noticing.

Worried and a little anxious, Katrina carefully unraveled the letter, skimming through the sloppy, messy ink written on it. And then she gasped.

"No!" she said. "No, they can't! Buckbeak didn't do anything, you all said so! It was just that Malfoy prick starting a fuss! They couldn't — why would they—?"

"Oh, Katrina," Hermione wept, "they're going to execute him! Th-they're not even going to wait for the appeal to make a decision, I can just feel it! Malfoy's father has close ties w-with the Ministry and I'm sure he's threatened them all with curses on their families and — and — it's just so _horrible!_"

"It's illegal!" Katrina restrained her screeching as Madam Pince looked over her long nose at them. "It's immoral! Wrong! Stupid! Selfish! _Dumb!_ Why wouldn't they just — I-I don't know — send him off to a Hippogriff reserve like the others? This is completely and utter _bollocks!_"

"I know!" Hermione finally wailed. "I know it is! _They_ know it is! B-but we can't stop them! It's so _horrible,_ Katrina!"

"_Shh!_" said Madam Pince harshly. Katrina ignored her.

"I am going to _brutally maim_ that Malfoy boy the next time I see him," she said through gritted teeth. "Buckbeak is innocent, you've told me! Harry's told me, Ron's told me, the rest of you have told me! All because he's a whiny, piss-eating little shite—"

"Shh," Hermione said quickly, taking a hold of Katrina's arm with a vice-like grip. "Don't — we'll get into trouble! Just — just — ooh!"

She was clearly just as angry and frustrated as Katrina was. There was a fiery look in her eyes and some sort of twinge to her voice as she exclaimed quietly in agitation. Katrina had a feeling that Hermione wanted to maim Malfoy when she saw him next, too. Thus a great friendship of mutual great dislike was formed.

"I just can't stand it," she said finally, sighing and crying a bit more.

"I can't either, and I won't," Katrina said firmly. After many more minutes of sobbing from Hermione and shoulder rubs from herself, Katrina asked quietly, "So where are Harry and Ron then?"

"I don't know," Hermione said as she wiped her eyes again. "I told them I was coming here to research, and they said they wanted to come, too, but I told them not to. They're probably in the common room or something."

"Do they not know —?"

"No, no, they do," Hermione sniffed. "They're just as — just as mad as I am. Oh, I just wish they would give Buckbeak a chance!"

"I know, I know," Katrina said, calming down and rubbing her shoulder again. "That's horrible. . . ."

"Absolutely dreadful," Hermione agreed.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE**

* * *

_well THAT only took forever and a day  
_


	26. NOT THE ONLY GIANT ON CAMPUS

Sitting in the Gryffindor common room and humming the more recent Weird Sisters songs was quickly becoming one of Katrina's favorite hobbies. There was a lot of commotion and talk and things going on all around her, but for some reason, she still felt at peace no matter how many pops or bangs were emitting from Seamus Finnigan's wand or how many times Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil squealed in their own designated corner of so-called "omens". But as Katrina sang "Do the Hippogriff" under her breath, she noticed just how overly-obnoxious everyone was being. Well, really, she had been noticing it all day.

Why?

Because today was Valentines' Day.

Huffing in annoyance, Katrina crossed her arms and ceased her humming. She didn't particularly _hate_ Valentines' Day, but it most definitely was not her favorite day of the year. And seeing as yesterday wasn't her best day either, today was doubly bad.

"What's gotten into you?" Alicia asked curiously as she, Katie, and Angelina situated themselves beside Katrina.

"Fred didn't make you angry or something, did he?" Katie asked worriedly.

"What?" Katrina grimaced. "No, no, why would you ask something like tha—"

"Of course he hasn't," Angelina interrupted, waving her hand dismissively. "He hasn't talked to her yet today, remember? Actually, I haven't seen him at all."

"George hasn't talked to me either," Katrina said slowly. The girls didn't seem to notice.

"D'you think he's getting something for her?" Alicia asked Angelina as if Katrina wasn't there.

"Alicia, I was _just_ talking about this," Angelina moaned. "He's probably already got her something!"

"_Why_ would Fred get me something?" Katrina asked, clearly getting more and more aggravated.

"Because!" Katie said quickly. "That's what couples do, they get gifts for each other on Valentines' Day!"

"Then Fred's most definitely not getting me a gift," Katrina said blandly, frowning and reaching for her book on the language of Mermaids and their customs.

"What?" Angelina asked. "Why?"

"Because Katie said that's what couples do," she replied matter-of-factly. The girls went silent.

"_What?_" they all suddenly shouted.

Katrina flinched. Why were they so surprised? They had just thought she and Fred were a couple, that was all. And all she had done was tell them that they weren't. So what was the big deal?

But then it clicked.

_Oh._

"You mean he hasn't asked you to be his girlfriend yet?" Angelina screeched.

"No! No, of course he hasn't!" Katrina squeaked, equally as loud.

"But he —" Alicia began.

"No he doesn't!" Katrina said quickly, already knowing what was on their minds and desperately hoping none of them would say it. "He doesn't like me, stop! W-we don't like each other, I promise —"

"What?" a sixth-year boy called from the other side of the room. "You mean you and Fred _don't_ like each other?"

"That's impossible!" one of the girls behind him said with a laugh.

"Either that, or they're _very_ _close_ friends with benefits," another sixth-year boy sniggered. Katrina blushed and felt a flurry of pickling under her scalp.

"I-I don't — wh-why would I —" she spluttered.

"Oh, oh!" Katie said swiftly, bouncing a little as she grasped Katrina's twitching fingers. "I know! You're in _denial!_"

"De–" Katrina said, abashed, "_denial?_"

"Yes! That explains it perfectly!" Alicia agreed. Angelina nodded from behind them, developing a smirk.

"I-I would never —"

"And Fred hasn't asked you to be his girlfriend yet," Angelina started again, "because he wants you to admit it, doesn't he?"

"He doesn't like me either!"

"Then what was all that talk about snogging and broom closets?" a boy called from another couch.

"What I do in my time is none of your business!" Katrina snapped.

"What you do with Fred, you mean," the boy laughed.

"What Angelina said sounds just like him," Ginny giggled as Katrina shoved her book under her arm. "He'd want the satisfaction of hearing you say it."

"Either that," Percy grumbled loudly from a table, stopping his word-scribbling for a moment to speak, "or he's so arrogant that he enjoys the thought of some girl telling him how deeply she's in love with him."

"Some girl?" Katrina sniffed.

"Probably a mix of both," Ginny sighed, returning to her Transfiguration homework.

Breathing pointedly from her nose, Katrina got to her feet and adjusted the shirt she was wearing before sliding her book into her hands and starting to march toward the portrait hole. "I haven't got the patience for this," she told them over her shoulder.

"Haven't got the patience for what?"

She groaned.

The twins hopped into the common room, closing the portrait behind them. Each of them had their own cheeky grin and a little glint in their eyes that seemed to scream "_we're up to no good again!_"

"Not for us, I hope?" George asked.

"Don't be ridiculous," Katrina quipped. "I've never got the patience for you two."

"Ah," George said, bouncing a finger, "you're clever."

"Quite clever," Fred agreed with a nod. Katrina gave him an odd look. Why in the world were his hands behind his back like that?

"Are you–?" she began, leaning over to try and peer behind his back. "Are you hiding something?"

"No, no," Fred said in such a way that it was obvious he _was_ hiding something. He stepped to the side as Katrina continued to teeter on the balls of her feet, keeping whatever it was from view until his back was facing the rest of the common room.

"Ooh," the Gryffindors all seemed to chorus.

"What? What is it?" Katrina asked, making to grab a hold of Fred's arm. But he was too fast and side-stepped again, this time in front of George, and raised his palms. They were empty.

"See?" he laughed. "Nothing! Told you so."

She quirked an eyebrow and glanced at George.

"Then why are his hands behind his back now?" she asked, folding her arms over her book and maybe sporting a small smile.

"Ah," George groaned lightheartedly, smacking his brother's arm with one hand, "she's figured us out!"

"What a shame," Katrina laughed, holding out her hand in a "give me" motion.

Fred puffed a little in playful annoyance before turning his back on her and to George, where he took whatever it was and turned around again.

He smirked. Katrina was either caught off guard or disgusted and horrified. Either was probably a good reaction to a heart-shaped box of chocolates in his mind.

"You didn't," she said to him seriously.

"I did," Fred grinned.

"I _knew_ it," Alicia whispered.

"Now, see, what you do is," Fred said slowly, reaching for Katrina's book and swapping it for the chocolates, "you take these, and you sit on that couch there, and you talk about how wonderfully charming and brilliant I am as you eat every last one of them."

"Except for the two we've already eaten," George added.

"Was it two?" Fred asked as he swiveled around again. "I thought it was four? Two for me, two for you?"

"Maybe it was eight? Four for each of us?"

"Well, whatever," Fred said, waving his hands at Katrina. "You get the point."

"You didn't make me a card, too, did you?" Katrina asked worriedly. The Gryffindors behind her laughed quietly.

"No, but it's in the works," Fred winked. She sighed heavily.

After a few moments of muffled laughter and the conversations of five minutes ago finally returning to the common room, Katrina scrunched up her nose and opened the frilly, red box to look at the assorted chocolates. Contrary to what the twins had said, every candy was in its place. All except for one.

"Oh, whoops!" Fred said, reaching into his pocket. "I was gonna eat this one, but then I decided not to. Guess I forgot to put it back in!"

He pulled out a tiny, chocolate candy and popped it back into the box.

Scowling, Katrina looked at him, and then at George. They were grinning again. With another long, deep sigh, she shuffled the box around in her hands and picked a candy out.

"You're lucky I can't resist a piece of chocolate," she grumbled as she too a bite out of it. Truffle.

"I know," Fred beamed.

* * *

"_What was in that chocolate you gave me?_"

"Nothing!" Fred said as he shoved a bucket into Katrina's hands. "Nothing, I promise! I bought it from Honeydukes yesterday when you went to visit Lupin!"

"_No,_" Katrina corrected him dangerously, "_something was in the chocolate._"

"No there wasn't—"

But Fred's excuses were blocked out by Katrina's stomach flipping over again and again as she began to vomit violently into the bucket.

"Oh, just tell her already," George said as they emerged into the Hospital Tower from behind a pretending wall.

"Tell me what?" Katrina asked in a wheezy voice as she swallowed down the bile rising in her throat.

"But then she'll get mad at me," Fred whispered harshly to George.

"I'm _already_ mad at you," she gurgled as more puke escaped into the bucket.

"You'll be furious at me, then."

"Get on with it," George said as they trekked to the Hospital Wing.

"Fine, fine!" Fred said, aggravated. After taking a deep breath, he said something about chocolates and pockets and bat spleens that Katrina didn't catch because a bubbly something was trying to spew through her nostrils.

"Wh-what?" she gasped before heaving more throw-up into the bucket, which George had luckily just emptied with a wave of his wand.

"I said," Fred spluttered nervously, "that the chocolate I pulled out of my pocket _might_ have been one of the Toffees we tried to make yesterday, and that I _might_ have added one too many bat spleens to the Swelling Solution. . . ."

"So," Katrina began slowly, swallowing down more vomit and wishing she had water to wash away the burning feeling in her throat (though she would have probably thrown that up, too), "you mean to say that — that you — _poisoned me?_"

"Not on purpose!" Fred said quickly as George shoved the Hospital Wing doors open.

"Poppy!" he called. "Poppy, this one's puking her guts up!"

"I," Katrina gasped as a bustling Madam Pomfrey came over, looking both surprised and horribly angry, "am going — to _murder_ you —"

"I know, I know," Fred said, leading Katrina to a bed along with George and Madam Pomfrey. "Maim me, tear my eyeballs out, feed them to me — wonderful imagination you have, really. I told you you were gonna be furious."

"Furious doesn't even begin to—"

"Stop talking!" Madam Pomfrey cried, swiping the bucket clean again with her wand before she _Acciod_ a potion. "Drink this, quickly!"

Although Katrina felt like drinking something would only make her puke worse, the potion somehow subsided the rising bile as it slid down her throat like cool Pumpkin Juice. The unsettling, acidic feeling in her stomach faded rather quickly, but it still rolled and flopped constantly and Katrina suddenly noticed she felt awfully hot.

"Better?" Madam Pomfrey asked worriedly.

"M-much," Katrina stuttered.

The twins and Madam Pomfrey heaved a sigh of relief. But then the healer turned to Fred and George, stern and nearly red in the face. They flinched.

"_What_ did you do to her?" she screeched.

"Nothing!" the twins said, raising their hands in defense.

"Honestly, woman, why do you always think it's us that start all the trouble?" Fred asked, covering his face as if expecting a blow.

"Because it _is_ always you two!" Madam Pomfrey said harshly.

"Is not!" Fred retorted.

"That one time with Seamus wasn't us!" George added.

"_We swear!_" they cried in unison.

"Oh," Madam Pomfrey began to swell, but adjusted her apron instead of blowing up again and turned back to Katrina. "What'd they do, dear?"

"Poisoned me with my own weakness, that's what!" Katrina said. It wasn't until after she shouted it did she realize how dramatic it sounded. Fred and George stifled snorts.

"Poison?" Madam Pomfrey asked, turning to the twins again. "_Poison?_ Why'd you poison this poor girl?"

"We didn't mean to!" Fred said.

"Oi, what's with this _we_ thing?" George asked him suddenly, looking like he had suddenly realized the answer to a riddle. "_You're_ the one that gave Katrina the Toffee, not me!"

"Yeah, but that was _your—_"

"It wasn't _my_ anything!" George said quickly.

"George is right!" Katrina said furiously at Fred, who looked both stricken and a little afraid. "You _are_ the one who gave me the Toffee! And I'm going to strangle you for it!"

But as she tried to reach for Fred's neck, Madam Pomfrey pushed her down into the bed firmly. Katrina was a little surprised with how strong the tiny witch could be, to be honest.

"Oh, no you're not!" she said. "I don't need a puking patient _and_ a choking patient at the same time! Wait until later, when you can strangle him without spewing everywhere!"

Huffing and puffing and making a multitude of other angry sounds, Katrina settled into her pillow, sweating horribly and stomach still gurgling. Madam Pomfrey wiped her hands on her apron and rushed off to fetch more potions and things while the twins awkwardly stood above the bed, watching Katrina anxiously.

And finally, after a few minutes, Fred cracked a grin and pulled up a chair, closely followed by George. Katrina watched them both from the corner of her eye, frowning.

"You could be a ghost with how pale you are," George said.

"Your hair's even white," Fred snickered.

"Shut up," Katrina grunted. "I'm mad at you."

"What?" Fred asked, mocking surprise. "George can talk, but I can't?"

"Yes."

George laughed a little behind his hand as Fred rolled his eyes and leaned onto the end of the bed, splaying his arms over Katrina's legs. She glared.

"Since it's still Valentines' Day . . ." he began with an eyebrow waggle, "why don't we liven it up with a few . . . _pick-up lines?_"

"Oh, God," Katrina moaned, raising her hands over her sweating face. "Merlin, help me, please."

"Oh, c'mon, Trina," Fred said as he loudly scooted his chair higher up the bed, "it'll be fun! Listen, listen — _If you were a Dementor, I'd become a criminal just to get your kiss!_ Sounds good, doesn't it?"

"Especially with all the Dementors around," George nodded as Katrina gave a horse groan of protest.

"Oh, oh, he's another one!" Fred snickered. "Hey, Trina, I love your bed — mind if I _Slytherin?_"

"Oh my God," Katrina whispered to herself as Fred poked her arm.

"You don't have to use _Lumos_ to turn me on!"

"Stop it! Oh my God," Katrina said as she began to laugh. She was mad at him! She wasn't supposed to _laugh_ at him!

Fred scooted closer again, this time so he could talk into her ear. "Hey — are you a bottle of Skele-Gro? 'Cause you're growing me a bone."

"_Stop it!_" Katrina shrieked in laughter. George watched as she began to try and push his brother away, but was too weak to do much of anything.

"Y'know," Fred continued suggestively, "Hagrid isn't the only giant on campus . . . if you know what I mean."

"I — I'm going to —" Katrina laughed as she turned away from Fred and into her pillow, "to die! St-stop it!"

"Oi, have you been using _Petrificus Totalus?_ 'Cause you're making me . . ." Fred whispered into her ear, "_stiff._"

And he kissed behind her right ear.

Despite the rolling of her stomach and the burning rising in her chest, Katrina burst into a fit of giggles because, on top of all that, were those butterflies again. She turned and slammed her face into her pillow, shaking her head and laughing so loudly Madam Pomfrey surely heard it.

"You two are horrible," George said as he leaned back into his chair.

"She loves me, though," Fred sighed wistfully as he propped his chin on his elbows, staring as Katrina's hair flashed from white to bright blue again.

"I do not!" she cried from her pillow, still laughing.

"_What_ is all of this commotion?" Madam Pomfrey asked as the stomped back into the Hospital Wing, carrying a wet towel and a handful of potions.

"They're flirting," George said offhandedly.

"Oh," Madam Pomfrey scowled, "they're _that_ kind of couple."

Katrina choked on the bile rising in her throat again.

"Wh-what's that supposed to mean?" she croaked as Madam Pomfrey came over and turned her onto her back, placing the cold towel onto her sweaty forehead.

"It means you're young and devilish," Madam Pomfrey said briskly, taking a bottle and pouring a few different potions into it and swishing it around. "Puppy love. Sweethearts. I don't know _why_ one of them" she jerked her head to one of the boys, "would get a pretty girl like you, though."

"W-we're not —" Katrina explained as Madam Pomfrey measured a different potion in a vial and poured it into her bottle, swishing it around some more, "Fred and I aren't — we don't like each other like that!"

Madam Pomfrey gave Katrina a disbelieving look.

"Well _she_ doesn't like _me,_" Fred smirked. Katrina shot him a glare. "Or she won't admit it, at least."

"Nobody'll like me," Katrina said simply, adjusting the cloth on her forehead a little.

"Nonsense," Madam Pomfrey said absentmindedly, handing Katrina the bottle. "Drink that, dear, it should help with the fever and nausea. And you two," she said, turning to the twins and wagging a finger, "don't you dare touch anything!"

"Yes, Poppy," the twins said with identical waves of their hands.

Sniffing heavily and stomping a little, Madam Pomfrey took her apron in her hands and marched away to speak to a patient covered head-to-toe in a cast.

"Anyways," George said quietly, scooting up close to Fred so that he could whisper, "what do you mean?"

"What?" Katrina asked before guzzling down the potion and scowling. It tasted dreadful, like garlic and cinnamon mixed with a toad's tongue. But it was cooling and settled her stomach, so she supposed it would do.

"You said that nobody'll like you —"

"Which is clearly untrue," Fred butted in with a frown. "Lots of us like you, seriously! Have you not talked to the other Gryffindors?"

"That's not what I meant," Katrina grumbled, raising the covers over her shoulders and frowning at the ceiling.

"Then what _do_ you mean?" George asked as Fred began to scowl.

"Nobody's ever liked me — you know — _like that._ I doubt they ever will, and that's okay, I guess." Katrina shrugged. "I don't have to have somebody like me to be happy."

"Well, no," George said with an uncertain look, furrowing his eyebrows.

"But you've had somebody liking you all year," Fred scoffed.

Katrina quirked an eyebrow at him. "No, I haven't?"

"Yes, you have," Fred argued.

"Well, regardless!" Katrina snapped. "That'd be stupid, there's nothing anybody should like about me. But that's fine! I don't want to get into a relationship with somebody who'll just dislike me anyways. I'm fully prepared to live my life alone, thank you very much."

The twins both looked a little bewildered, but Fred had this air of disgust and horror whereas George was a little more worried-looking. Katrina gave them both odd glances, but didn't think much of it.

"Did you just call me stupid?" Fred whispered so harshly Katrina jumped.

"What?" she asked.

"Did you just call me stupid for_ liking you?_" Fred repeated, sounding more and more appalled as he went on.

She snapped her jaw shut so quickly her teeth clacked. George looked between Fred (who was starting to glow the slightest bit red) and Katrina, raising his eyebrows high into his hairline.

"Yeah, I am!" Katrina finally said after a moment, looking annoyed and miffed again. " 'Cause you _don't!_"

"If any of us don't know how the other feels, it's you," Fred mumbled.

"Oh, really?" Katrina spat. "How could you possibly know how I feel, then, when I don't even know myself?"

"Uh-oh," George whistled quietly from his seat.

"Because," Fred said, easing up a bit, "haven't you noticed that you act a certain way around me? Y'know you — you don't talk to me the same way you do George and you don't do stuff with him like you do to me — no offense," he added quickly to George who shook his head.

"None taken!" he said.

"But yeah," Fred said as he turned back to Katrina, who was stubbornly looking up at the ceiling again. "See — see if I just —"

He suddenly leaned in, close enough for Katrina to feel his breath on her cheeks. She bit the inside of her cheek and stifled that bubbly feeling that was rising and starting to make her feel nauseous again, but apparently Fred could read her better than she thought. With a triumphant smirk, he sat back down in his chair and motioned to George.

"If you will?" he asked.

"Sure," George said, smirking a little himself. He leaned in, too, in nearly the exact same place that Fred had been. But there weren't any bubbles, and the nausea was subsiding again. Glowering, she watched as George sat back into his seat and shared a look with Fred.

"I hate you," she grumbled, turning onto her side so she didn't have to look at them anymore. The wet towel fell to the floor, forgotten.

"Sure you do," Fred said, stretching out again and making sure to graze his hands down her back as he did.

"Talk about an interesting relationship," Madam Pomfrey mumbled as she whacked a tiny hammer on the cast-covered student's leg. A muffled groan of pain reverberated around the Hospital Wing, starting one of many massive headaches Katrina was going to receive that day.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX**

* * *

_What can I say, I love pick-up lines.  
_

_Also, as an update! I'd just like to tell/remind you all that Katrina officially has a blog (the-feisty-fowl on tumblr) where you can ask her questions, send her fanmail, and other cool stuff like that! Shenanigans have been unfolding on Innuendo's main blog (dont-let-this-magic-die on tumblr) mainly because I figured out that Nathan Fillion makes the perfect Mr. Rhinehart and Tina Fey the perfect Mrs. Rhinehart and how I sorta just went on a spree of photoshopping a very, very crappy family portrait with could-be FC's. In other news: Wolfy is experiencing a confidence boost because of Katrina and Innuendo in general and is very, very, very sorry for all the long waits on the chapters! I've been in a bit of a writing dip I suppose, but I'm hoping that I'm out of it, seeing as this chapter came out closer to my usual updating schedule._

_Any and all feedback is incredibly welcome! And look forward to the next chapter o; You're gonna love it._


	27. SHENANIGANS

Although missing a day of school wasn't Katrina's ideal of a good start of the week, Tuesday turned out generally okay. She threw up a few times and sweat like a dog after her potions wore off, but was otherwise growing steadily more stable. Fred had gone to Honeydukes again to buy all (or most of) the discount chocolate as a sort of apology, leaving Katrina and George (along with her multitude of visitors, including Cora, Lee, Angelina, Alicia, Katie, Hermione, Ginny, Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, and Percy along with his girlfriend, Penelope Clearwater) to talk between themselves. What they came up with was rather interesting.

"Remember," George kept saying, "my ties are beside my robes, between the book you gave me for Christmas and my package of half-chewed Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans."

"Right," Katrina nodded, committing it all to memory. "Wait — half-chewed? Why half-chewed?"

"To remind me which ones are awful," George grimaced. "I got a bogey one once. It wasn't particularly delightful."

"Ew," Katrina grunted in agreement, reaching for one of the Sugar Quills Cora had brought her earlier that day and sucking on it thoughtfully. "But so what we'll do is sw—"

The Hospital Wing's doors suddenly slammed open, revealing a student carrying multiple bags and boxes, all red and pink in coloration. By the odd sounds he was making, Katrina figured it was Fred, returned from Hogsmeade. She broke into a grin, sitting up a little straighter against her metal headrest.

"Oh, so you're back?" she asked imperiously as Fred trudged over, dramatically groaning as he balanced the many chocolates in his hands.

"Just barely," he wheezed as he finally arrived at her bedside and sat his load down beside it, wiping his forehead with his sleeve. "Mrs. Flume was suspicious."

"Then how'd you manage to buy all of this?" Katrina asked, motioning to the chocolates with one hand as she held her Sugar Quill with the other.

"Experience," Fred waved it off with a smirk, pulling up a chair beside George and propping his elbows on her bedsheets again. "So, how're you feeling?"

"Better," Katrina mumbled, sucking on her quill mindlessly. "Not brilliant, though."

George suddenly gasped loudly. "Her Brilliantness _not feeling brilliant?_"

"Blasphemy," Fred laughed as he took a small bar of chocolate from his piled and chucked it into Katrina's lap. "Eat these, I used up the last of my Sickles and Knuts on them."

"Serves you right," Katrina raised her chin as she quickly pulled the last of the sugary strands from the Sugar Quill and ate them rather than waiting for them to dissolve on her tongue. Then she began to noisily unwrap the chocolate bar, almost hasty.

"I haven't had a bite to eat all day," she grumbled as she crumbled the wrapping into a ball and threw it at George's face. "Madam Pomfrey's afraid I'm gonna puke everything up."

"You'd better not puke it all up," Fred said as George easily dodged the wad of paper. "I nearly got caught with how I had to go up to Honeydukes without a disguise —"

"That sounds like a personal problem to me," Katrina said sassily, popping a small chocolate square into her mouth and happily shivering at it's delectable flavor. Fred scowled as George began to snicker.

"I know a personal problem of yours," Fred said after a moment, looking suddenly triumphant again as he leaned back into his chair.

Sighing and swallowing her chocolate, Katrina said, "If it's anything about me liking you —"

"Nah, nah," Fred said, scrunching up is face as he shook his head. "It's how the doctors reacted when you were born. Couldn't believe a baby could have such a low IQ."

As Katrina nearly slammed her box of chocolates onto her lap and stared wide-eyed at Fred, George began to roar quietly with laughter. Fred winked.

"You remem—"

"It wasn't that long ago," he shrugged, smirking wider and wider as he pulled a small, round Chocolate Cauldron from the pile of Valentines' sweets and began to eat on it.

As George began to calm down, confused, Katrina frowned and furrowed her eyebrows while staring at the ceiling again. He was right. Their little train ride had only been a couple of months ago, even though it felt more like a year. She supposed she and the twins had done so much together that all of their shenanigans had taken up most of the space in her head.

"Um —" George began, "what?"

"Trina and I had an insulting contest back when we were leaving for break," Fred explained, watching Katrina as she stared off at the ceiling, remembering in great detail how furious Snape's face had been in that photo she took so many days ago. She really needed to take more photos.

"Ah," George nodded in understanding. "Sounds like you two, insulting each other In sexual frustration and whatnot."

"Yep," Fred said. Katrina blinked, processing, and then flushed bright violet. The twins chuckled to themselves.

Very slowly, through their silence, Katrina faded back into her normal blue color and distracted herself by adjusting the pillow behind her back.

"Hey Trina?" Fred asked after a bit.

"Hm?" she hummed, smacking her pillow so it would fluff up more.

"Can I get a kiss?"

Katrina's hand swerved away from the pillow and loudly hit the metal headboard.

"_Ow!_" she whispered to herself, shaking her hand worriedly and glancing at Fred over her shoulder. "Wh-what? Why would you want that?"

"Y'know, just a quick smooch," Fred grinned. "A one-second snog."

"But _why,_" Katrina clarified as she stretched out her fingers and frowned at him.

"I'm suffering from _withdrawal,_" he whined, kicking his feet into her bed frame. "I didn't get to snog you at all yesterday, you were too busy puking!"

"You were too busy poisoning me!" Katrina retorted. "And I'm sick, anyways! You don't want to be sick too, do you?"

"Between you and me," Fred said quietly as he moved his hand to shield his mouth from George (who could hear him perfectly well regardless), "I wouldn't mind spending a few days in bed with you."

"We'd be in separate beds!" Katrina cried quietly, turning around and not even bothering with her pillow anymore.

"Doesn't matter, same concept!" he said hurriedly. "Can I get one though, please?"

Frowning deeper and deeper by the second, Katrina slowly began to grimace at Fred.

"_Please?_"

"Oh, fine," she grumbled, crossing her arms and tossing her box of chocolates on top of the others. "Make it quick, though."

Fred made a squeaky sound of glee as he hopped up from his chair and nearly skipped up to Katrina's side, sitting beside her on the bed and puckering his lips. Blinking awkwardly and staring between him and George, Katrina began to regret what she had said.

"Go on," George mouthed, waving a hand before propping his chin interestedly in his palms. Sighing, Katrina faced Fred again, who had closed one of his eyes and was squinting at her with the other.

"I hate you," she grumbled.

Fred made an odd sort of mumbling sound through his puckered lips that Katrina had to force herself not to laugh at.

About as quickly as she could, Katrina pressed her lips onto his and retreated, wishing the butterflies would subside quickly seeing as they hardly had the time to flare up.

But Fred was unsatisfied, of course. So he shot his hand behind her head and pulled her mouth to his, surprising Katrina and maybe even George, too. In truth, it did seem like he had wanting to do this ever since Saturday, since he was so insistent on moving his lips into hers. Katrina even thought she might have felt his fingers brushing through her hair, but any conscious thoughts of hers were blown away and replaced by those God-awful butterflies. But although she felt a little nauseous because of them, Katrina started to enjoy the kiss as she moved to the side so they would meld a little better and she could comfortably reach up and tug at his robes.

George whistled to himself, chuckling a bit as Fred pulled away and smirked at Katrina, who was still holding his robes with her eyes closed, committing the tingling in her lips to memory much like George's instructions. It was such a nice feeling, really.

When she finally fluttered her eyes open, she found Fred looking at her intently, smiling that charming, goofy grin she liked so much.

"I think you kiss better when you're sick," he said with a little glint in his eye. "I'm gonna have to poison you more often."

"I'll say," George laughed from his seat. Katrina's was too enamored with the look on Fred's face to notice how impressed he sounded. "I'll be truthful, I didn't think you'd be able to get her to kiss you first before the end of the year."

"You owe me two Knuts," Fred said from the corner of his mouth, raising his eyebrows as Katrina slid her fingers up to his collar.

"Are you gonna kiss me again?" he whispered so that only she could hear.

"I'm thinking about it," she mumbled.

"Don't think about it, love," he said quieter yet, "or you'll convince yourself not to."

"Too mushy!" George groaned loudly from his seat. "Too mushy!"

"Oh, shut it!" Fred breathed, giving his brother an exasperated (but humorous) look. "I didn't complain when you and Cora snogged in front of me yesterday!"

"Yes, but that was Valentines'," George explained. "That's different."

"Is not," Fred sniffed stubbornly.

"I say we can snog however much we want without the need of complaint from any third party," Katrina said in a funny sort of haughty tone, sitting up a bit straighter.

George began to scowl comically as Fred whooped in joyful agreement.

After groaning a bit, George finally said, "Alright, alright — but when tongues get involved, I'm leaving the room."

Katrina hardly had time to turn violet again before Fred yelped again in excitement and began to vigorously kiss her again. The student in the full-body cast moaned from across the Hospital Wing in distaste.

* * *

It wasn't until Thursday did Madam Pomfrey finally admit that Katrina was full well again and could go back to lessons. But even though her homework had piled up and she severely needed to study for the Potions quiz coming up, something a bit more important was on her mind. Or, at least, important to her.

George stood in his dormitory, awkwardly adjusting the tie around his neck. His chest at the end of his bed was open and he seemed to be staring into it, deep in thought. Nobody else was there with him, not even —

But there was Fred now. He swung the door open and barged inside, stomping around rather loudly and looking proud of himself. He did just snog Katrina behind that tapestry, George reminded himself. But George wasn't supposed to know that. So he snapped his chest closed and sighed dramatically, hoping Fred would notice. He didn't.

Instead, Fred threw the door shut and hopped onto his bed, looking dreamy and starry-eyed. George grimaced to himself. Did he always act like that after a good snogging with her? Probably.

Mustering up whatever courage he could, George finally moved from his stiff, standing position and awkwardly sat beside Fred.

"So, uhm," he said, "wo–hat's up?"

"I just snogged Trina," Fred said triumphantly.

"I gathered as much," George mumbled.

"What's got your pants in a knot?" Fred asked suggestively. "Haven't you and Cora had your daily snog yet?"

"N-no, actually," George said, swallowing and adjusting his collar. Damn, this was uncomfortable. But he had to stick it out! "I don't know about Cora anymore, honestly. . . ."

"What?" Fred asked, knitting his eyebrows together. Now he was genuinely concerned. Good.

"Well, I mean," George said, shuffling a bit on the bed and making it creak, "she's great and all but — but I might have feelings for someone else."

As Fred began to look even more confused and surprised, George decided to continue.

"A-and — and I might be getting jealous," he said.

A sort of wheezing sound emitted from the underside of Fred's bed. George gave the bedpost a swift kick and it stopped. Fred, luckily, didn't seem to notice anything.

"You're not telling me that you —" he paused, searching for the right words as George chewed the inside of his cheek, "that you _like Katrina?_"

"No," George said as another quiet wheeze came from under the bed. "No, not Katrina."

For a brief moment, Fred almost looked relieved. But then his face froze again, and he looked at his brother. "Then who?"

George took in a deep breath. Here we go.

"You."

An ugly sort of coughing, gurgling sound was coming from under the bed now. George got a surge of sudden confidence in seeing Fred's disgusted and horrified face. Time to get dramatic.

"You're kidding," Fred said with a choked sort of laugh. "Pulling my leg, good job — really funny, George, that's great! Remind me to get you back later."

"But I'm not joking," George said as he swooped in closer, to an almost uncomfortable distance. Their shoulders banged together. "I'm being incredibly serious."

"No, you're not," Fred croaked.

"Yes, I am," George breathed. "I didn't mind Katrina and you at first, especially with Cora around, but now — now that you and Trina are so close, and now that you're always together — I've realized I don't like Cora the way I like you."

"Stop that," Fred said, leaning away as George got even closer.

"But why stop? We're already so far," George said as the sounds from under the bed grew into hiccups.

"I swear to God, George," Fred said seriously, "if you don't stop right this moment, I'll —"

"You'll what?" George asked, leaning in so close that Fred was pinned against his backboard. "Kick me under the bed with all those knickers you've stolen?"

The bed's underside heaved with heavy breathing. George smirked. Fred looked absolutely terrified.

"Y-you're my brother!" Fred cried quietly as George continued to advance. "My twin, no less! What's gotten into you?"

"Taboo," George murmured. "Imagine the adrenaline, Fred — we could do so many things that would feel _so wrong,_ but we'd do them anyways!"

"We already do that!" Fred screeched. "We break the rules! We get into trouble!"

"I mean _other_ bad things," George whispered. Fred had turned white.

"I swear if you — if you don't stop acting like this, George — I swear," Fred stumbled about. George grinned.

"This is really tearing you up, isn't it?" he asked. Fred nodded vigorously.

The bed's heaving slowed to quiet snorting. To be honest, George had to agree with it. This was rather amusing.

"Alright," he said. "I'll stop."

Fred heaved a giant sigh of relief.

"After this," George said quickly, and leaped forward.

There was a flurry of movement and feelings in that one moment. George's mouth pressed onto Fred's and fluttering bubbles erupted in his stomach, and then his shoulder was suddenly hit with an impeccable amount of pressure and he found himself detached and falling down, off the bed, and onto the floor, where his back was shooting with pain. But he was laughing, laughing so hard and so loudly it could be considered a cackle, and he suddenly wasn't George anymore.

Fred retched over the side of his bed, clawing at his tongue mouth and squeezing his eyes shut. Katrina lied on the floor, in George's baggy clothes, holding her stomach and rolling around, hair the brightest green in the world and red in the face.

"Oh my God!" she cried. "Oh my God, I can't — you just — _your face, Fred!_ It was priceless! Merlin's _knickers!_"

"WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?" Fred roared as he gagged dryly. "I NEARLY HAD A HEART ATTACK! YOU DON'T JUST _DO_ THAT!"

"And you don't — d-don't — poison me!" Katrina howled. The underside of the bed was also laughing, almost as loudly as she was.

"_What_ is that godawful noise?" Fred rasped, holding a hand over his chest and looking deadly.

Out from under the bed rolled the actual George, who was as bright red as Katrina and waving a pair of her underwear in Fred's face.

"Payback!" he and Katrina laughed, grasping onto each other for support as they rocked back and forth in mirth.

"But — but —" Fred spluttered, wiping his mouth with his sleeves (it didn't seem to have clicked that Katrina had been posing as George all along), "but it was _his fucking idea!_"

They only laughed louder.

* * *

February blurred into March. Katrina had learned that revenge was not only quite nasty, but that Fred was a master of it. On hr birthday she was greeted with an exploding cupcake, backed up by a symphony of Dungbombs. It wasn't the usual birthday, to be blunt. Luckily, Ron got caught in the fray, so she at least didn't have to suffer alone.

After the first week of March, all fifth years were bombarded with homework. They already had mounds before, but now those mounds had evolved into mountains. Katrina and the twins had hardly any time for more Toffee prototypes, and Fred and George were getting jittery. Poor things couldn't seem to cope without a joke or two. Even then, their hair was still unusually jumbled and they couldn't get rid of the dark bags under their eyes. Sleep deprivation was something the O.W.L.s seemed to require. And just because Katrina could look like she was in tippest, toppest shape didn't mean she wasn't equally — if not more — stressed out. These exams were starting to get to her, and she hadn't even taken them yet!

Not to mention Trelawney. She must be bonkers, Katrina realized one afternoon, when she stated that the atmosphere in her last class held the dreaded scent of burnt wood (an omen of death, she said). When Katrina waited for Parvati to climb down the ladder after their meeting of sorts, she spotted a burnt twig had been suspiciously thrown into Trelawney's fireplace. "Omen of death" her arse.

Snape was growing progressively filthier, both in attitude and physical appearance. The boys were right, he really did seem to be afraid of soap. Lupin, thankfully, was still as normal and sane as ever. Katrina had to admit, without Lupin, she would've never become as interested in Defense Against the Dark Arts as she was now.

Before any of them knew it, March turned into April. They must've spent all of their attention on school, Katrina reckoned. Even during Easter Break.

She had decided to stay at Hogwarts during Easter. In all honesty, she didn't really know why. Maybe it was the thought of only going home to leave again, or maybe Katrina just didn't want to be away from her friends.

Speaking of, Fred and George went wild on their birthday. Many "April Fools'!" jokes were screeched down the corridors every millisecond and Katrina didn't catch count how many fireworks they let off in the Gryffindor common room. A few days later, they seemed back to their regular selves, not stressed at all. She was relieved. They had no need in feeling pressured, not really. Katrina supposed she didn't, either, but that didn't help.

Heaving a sigh on a very needed, very gracious Saturday, Katrina fell onto her favorite couch in the Gryffindor common room, squeezed beside Fred and Lee as George crumpled up a paper and pitched it onto the coffee table. They all had plenty of homework to do, but were currently ignoring it. A day off was desperately deserved.

"I've no idea what to do with the Toffees," George mumbled, sticking his quill into his inkwell with a growing frown. "If the Swelling Solution doesn't work, then I dunno what will."

"I dunno, mate," Fred breathed, throwing his arm over Katrina's shoulder and leaning the most of his weight onto her. "Give it a rest, though, just for today. We need a break, all of us!"

"We've got plenty of time to work on the Toffees, too," Katrina agreed, falling onto Lee's shoulder under Fred.

"I suppose," George said quietly, scowling at his many crumpled-up papers.

"What is it?" Lee asked gruffly, pushing both Katrina and Fred off. They instead fell onto the arm of the couch. "Those Toffees you were making? Didn't they not work or something?"

"Yes, the prototypes," George said, sitting back into his chair and crossing one leg over the other, looking thoughtful. "I didn't reckon they would've, but I hoped, I guess. But now we've got to think of more ideas as to how to make them make your tongue swell."

"Without a Swelling Solution?" Lee asked.

"Yep," Fred said as Katrina began to lightly doze on his shoulder. She really was quite tired.

"Well," Lee said, "why don't you just charm them?"

The twins stared at him.

"The Toffees, I mean," Lee clarified. "Charming them would mean no potions, just wands. And you wouldn't poison anyone, either." He jabbed a thumb at Katrina.

"That's brilliant," George breathed. "Absolutely brilliant. Why didn't I think of that? I should've thought of that."

As George began to scribbled wildly again on his pieces of parchment, Lee sighed and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, you're welcome. No thanks needed, as usual."

"Thanks, mate," Fred laughed as he sat up a bit straighter, jostling Katrina out of her sleepiness.

"What?" she slurred.

"Nothing," Lee snorted playfully, punching her shoulder. "I'm just being a genius, nothing out of the ordinary."

"Sounds pretty unordinary to me," Katrina giggled before yawning and stretching from under Fred's arm.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN**

* * *

_can you tell i had fun because i _really_ had fun_

_so much fun_

_oh my god_

_i bet you all hate me now :'D but it was so fun_


	28. DEATH BY GINGER

For the hundredth time, Katrina swished her wand, aggravated, over the Toffee placed before her on the cold, stone ground of the Boathouse. From its tip spluttered a tiny amount of red sparks before the wand emitted an odd whining sound. No matter how many times she tried to cast a spell, it wouldn't work. Not even during class! She was beginning to get worried.

"I don't understand," Katrina said harshly, swinging her wand madly and then staring at it. Nothing happened. "It worked perfectly the other day, and now it's like this!"

"Maybe it's faulty?" George suggested, waving his own wand over a Toffee that was already partially eaten. "You ought to buy a new one at Ollivander's if it keeps acting up."

"What?" Katrina suddenly squeaked, horror-struck. A new wand? But this was her first wand! Her _only_ wand! And, quite frankly, she was attached! "B-but — but it's —"

"A wand's useless if it doesn't work, love," Fred said as he squinted at his Toffee, which had begun to vibrate.

"It's just having a fit," Katrina said stubbornly, shaking her wand a bit more. "It does that sometimes, I think it's finicky —"

"No wonder it was a match for you," Fred mumbled.

"Watch your mouth!" Katrina shot quickly. "It chose me because it was searching for adventure and fun! Ollivander said so!"

"Oh, really?" Fred shot back, though in much less serious tone. "No wonder it's acting up, then."

"Alright, alright, children," George said consolingly with a snicker, "don't get to fighting. All we need is for the two of you to begin hate-snogging in my presence, too."

"Oh, shut it," Katrina grumbled, shoving her wand into her back pocket. After huffing indignantly, she swiftly swiped Fred's wand out of his hand and began to wave it around instead.

"Oi!" Fred cried, making a grab at it. But Katrina quickly threw it into her left hand and out of reach. "Give it back! That's _my_ wand!"

"Yes, but since you clearly can't charm a Toffee correctly and my wand is going bonkers, I'm going to use yours for the time being," Katrina said snootily, shoving Fred roughly away. His hand smashed onto the vibrating Toffee, which was now buzzing quietly.

"Well, have a good time trying!" Fred grumbled. "It's made of Dogwood. Won't like you at all, I'm afraid."

"Oh, yeah?" Katrina asked as George rolled his eyes and tossed his half-eaten Toffee into the nearby water. "And why's that, Mister I-Know-Everything-About-Wand-Woods?"

"Ollivander said Dogwood wands prefer fun-loving, humorous blokes, like me," Fred mimicked her haughty tone before sticking his tongue out. "In other words, not you."

"Well, bluh," Katrina grumbled. She didn't have the patience for a good comeback. "I doubt my wand would like you at all, either. And, by the way, it's _part Dogwood._"

"That's why it's acting up, then!" Fred said, holding out his hand. "Lemme see it, maybe it'll work for me."

"No, it won't," Katrina said sternly.

"_Maybe_ it _will,_" Fred said stubbornly still, wiggling his fingers.

After glancing between Fred's face and his hand, Katrina sighed and pulled out her wand again, giving it to him. George glanced at them from the corner of his eye while he picked out another Toffee. Fred twirled Katrina's wand around in his fingers a bit, frowning (apparently deep in thought) and looking at it intently.

"Only part Dogwood?" he asked.

"Yeah, just the handle," Katrina mumbled, raising an eyebrow at him. "The rest of it's Ebony."

"Ooh, Ebony," George said as he began to lean over her shoulder. "Don't see that one often. I wondered if that was what your wand was, since it was black and all, but I never thought to ask."

"Yeah, it is." Katrina shrugged. "I've sorta looked into it in a few books I skimmed through over Wandlore. It's really interesting, actually. But all I can remember about Ebony is that it's 'best fitted to a witch or wizard who will stand by their beliefs, no questions asked'."

Fred snorted. "Sounds about right. But why Dogwood?"

"Are you saying I'm not fun?" Katrina snapped.

"Yes," Fred said idly, taking her wand in her left hand and giving it a swish. "_Aguamenti!_"

A large, very powerful jet of water shot from Katrina's wand's tip and blasted into the water of the Boathouse dock. Surprised and wide-eyed, Katrina, Fred, and George all stared at it.

"Well," George said slowly, "that was unexpected."

Katrina suddenly shot forward and stole her wand back, still shocked, and gave it a wave. "_Aguamenti!_"

It spluttered, and a few bubbles dribbled out of its end before popping dismally.

"I-I — I don't understand," Katrina said quietly, rotating her wand between her fingertips worriedly. "It's _my_ wand, wh-why isn't it working for me?"

She didn't really know why she was getting so emotional, but her throat was tightening up and she found salty tears welling in her eyes. This wand, besides Cora and Alphonse, was one of the few constant companions she ever had through school. Even during Second Year, when she felt so horrible and cried nearly every day in that god-awful bathroom, it was there. And Cora didn't even know that!

"Don't worry, Trina," Fred said consolingly, reaching over and rubbing her shoulder a little. He still seemed rather casual, though. They didn't understand.

"It could just be stress," George agreed with a nod. Katrina hurriedly wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her robes. "You have been awfully worried about all of our homework."

"Not to mention working with us every-other bloody day," Fred agreed.

"No, no, I'm fine," Katrina said quietly to herself, shaking her head and wiping her nose, which had started to dribble. "I-It's just having an unruly spell, that's all, it'll be back to normal tomorrow. Don't worry about it, it's fine. I'll just use one of your wands."

The twins looked at each other, shrugged, and continued their work as much as they could. Katrina, through her frustration, hexed a Ton-Tongue Toffee into a swirl of slimy tentacles before pitching it into the water. What if she had to buy a new wand? Not only was that seventy-or-so Galleons she didn't have, but a new wand would feel unfamiliar and odd. She and her wand had connected back in Diagon Alley four years ago, and now what was she supposed to do? Throw that all away?

After unsuccessfully charming another Toffee, Katrina heaved an annoyed sigh and got to her feet, Fred's wand still in hand. "I'm going to the Owlery. I want to see Alphonse."

"Writing a letter to Dad?" Fred asked, cocking an eyebrow as she swiveled around on her heel and began to march to the stairs leading back to the main part of the castle.

"I'm thinking about it," she mumbled.

"Don't break my wand," Fred said worriedly after a moment. "I'll be needing it, you know."

Katrina didn't answer.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Katrina was roaming around the grounds, Alphonse's ginormous frame perched on her shoulders and Fred's wand in her hands. She was crying quietly to herself, sniffling and wiping her eyes with her wrist in five-second intervals. Her wand, which was in her back pocket, still failed to work. So she was instead using Fred's to conjure many tiny little birds to comfort herself a little. At least she wasn't the broken one. Or so she hoped.

"I don't know, Al," she choked to her owl quietly. "Do I get a new wand? I know I-I'm making a big deal out of n-nothing, but it's just. . ."

Katrina reached behind her and touched her wand's handle. It was so familiar! Almost like an old friend. She honestly couldn't bear the thought of getting a new one. It would be like throwing Cora onto the streets and suddenly buddying up with some other Hufflepuff girl. It'd be like betrayal.

Alphonse hooted quietly, nipping her ear softly with his beak. Katrina lifted her hand up and patted his fluffy mass of feathers, using Fred's wand to conjure more golden birds. They shot out of the tip of his wand and tweeted merrily, flying around in tight circles around her head. Then, with one swift flick of her wrist, the birds turned themselves in a random direction and flew into the forbidden forest.

"I don't know why I'm crying so much," Katrina sniffed. Alphonse hooted again. "D'you think it's like George said? All the stress? I have had an awful lot of homework lately. . . ."

As she trailed off, Katrina began to wonder. In the last week, she had three Transfiguration essays (each about two-and-a-half feet long), two Potions essays, a Potions pop quiz, four foot-long History of Magic Essays, a Mandrake re-potting review test in Herbology, and a meeting with Trelawney every day. Two quizzes and a paper in Charms, a ginormous star-map in Astrology that had to be completed in one class, and all this time, she'd been helping the boys with all of their work, too! Not to mention how Katrina and the twins went to the Boathouse every day now after dinner. And, with a jolt, she realized she hadn't visited Professor Lupin in the last two weeks.

Yes, she realized glumly, it must be the stress.

"Exams are in a month and a half," she told Alphonse. "I know I probably shouldn't be, but I'm worried."

As if he could understand her, Alphonse chortled softly and pecked calmly through her hair.

"And now that my wand is messed up, I'll probably fail them!" Katrina continued. Tears started pouring down her face. "A-and I bet I'll forget how to charm a pineapple how to tap dance or something a-and fail even more!"

Now she couldn't stop crying even if she wanted to. "I can't even charm a little toffee, Al! What makes you think I could transfigure a Toucan? I couldn't even brew a Cure for Boils at this point!"

Through all of her weeping, Katrina didn't notice the loud pounding of paws approaching. It wasn't until a very large, very black dog was only a few feet away did she finally realize, and that was only because Alphonse had suddenly jumped and batted her head with his wings as he bolted into the air, screeching at it.

Fang squeaked and retreated, tail between his legs, behind a beaver-fur stump. Except it wasn't a stump, it was Hagrid.

Katrina looked up at Hagrid's bushy, beard-covered face with bleary eyes. He looked rather embarrassed. Maybe he had noticed her crying?

"Sorry abou' that," he said gruffly. "Fang got a bit excited. . . ."

"It's fine," Katrina sniffed again, hastily wiping her nose and blinking rapidly. Alphonse settled himself back on her shoulder, ruffling his feathers a little and peering keenly at Fang, who was whimpering behind one of Hagrid's massive legs.

"Er — is that yer owl?" Hagrid asked. Katrina nodded.

"Yeah," she said.

"Great Grey, isn't he?"

"Mhm."

"Ah — well — they're mighty fine owls," Hagrid said awkwardly, looking over his shoulder to his shabby shack down the way. "Um — would yeh like some tea?"

Katrina looked back up at Hagrid. He seemed worried, concerned. Incredibly thankful, she nodded again. "Y-yes please."

"C'mon, then," he said quietly, or as quietly as he could. His voice seemed to boom even when he whispered. "I've got a kettle going on the fire — but, er, you may want to mind Buckbeak —"

"Buckbeak?" Katrina asked as she jogged to catch up with Hagrid's wide strides. "Y-you mean you keep him in your house?"

"Well, yeah," Hagrid mumbled, looking in the other direction. "I-I don't want 'im to get lonely, y'know."

"Yeah, of course," Katrina agreed quickly. "Is he — um — is he alright?"

"I think so," Hagrid said gruffly still. "He really enjoys eatin' a dead ferret or two on my bed, it's relaxin' fer him, I reckon."

"I'm sure that it is," Katrina said slowly, hoping to sound sincere. It was a bit odd, keeping a hippogriff in your house, but she supposed that Hagrid only wanted the best for Buckbeak.

"And I've got rock cakes," Hagrid continued, "y'know, if yer hungry."

"Oh! Um —" Katrina began shakily. The boys always talked about how horrible Hagrid's cooking was. "That sounds wonderful, actually."

"Good, good," Hagrid nodded quietly to himself as they approached the door. He opened it slowly, peeking inside, and then opened it wider for Katrina. "C'mon, get in — yer not supposed to be on the grounds, anyways."

As she shuffled inside and Hagrid looked wearily through the door before he closed it, Katrina nearly slapped herself. Of course! Black was still on the loose, and here she was, wandering around without any defenses besides a wand that wasn't hers and an owl!

Alphonse hooted warily from Katrina's shoulder. Fang trotted to the fire, where he settled himself in front of it. She wasn't paying attention to him, though. Buckbeak was staring directly at her.

"Now, Beaky, you behave," Hagrid said sternly, setting down a crossbow Katrina didn't notice he had in his hands beside the door. "Miss Rhinehart's a friend. She won't do yeh no harm."

Buckbeak snorted and shook his face, much like a giant bird-horse would. Alphonse hooted in apprehension and batted his wings again, flying up to one of the many dangling metal things hanging from the ceiling and perching there instead. Katrina, ever so slowly, began to bow.

Hagrid looked between Katrina and Buckbeak, who had started bowing, too. He seemed impressed.

"Have you an yer fam'ly got a hippogriff?" he asked, thudding over to one of his over-sized chairs and sitting in it with a loud, moaning creak.

"Oh, no, Professor," Katrina said quickly, sitting down on one of Hagrid's smaller chairs. "I've got a book on hippogriffs, sir, and I've read it an awful lot. I've also practiced with Redrump earlier in the year —" but she stopped herself, suddenly startled. "Redrump! Oh, Professor, how is he, by the way? Is he alright? Doing okay at the reserve?"

Hagrid seemed more surprised than she was. "Redrump? Who's Redrump? What reserve?"

Katrina blinked.

"You weren't supposed to know that," she whispered to herself. "I can't believe I just did that! Way to go, Trina," she looked down into her lap and began to rub her temples with her fingers. "Way to go."

"D'you mean Rubywing?" Hagrid asked. "How'd you know abou' him — you didn't have a class with the hippogriffs, did yeh?"

"Rubywing?" Katrina asked. "I-I mean, no, I — I didn't have a class with them, no. . . ."

"Then how do yeh — oh."

As Katrina awkwardly approached Buckbeak and began to pat his beak, realization seemed to hit Hagrid right in the face.

"Don't tell me yeh went inter the forest!" he nearly shouted. "That was — you could've been _killed!_"

"We didn't go that far in," Katrina flinched. "Just to the paddock!"

"_We?_" Hagrid breathed as he placed a large hand over his heart. "Who else was with yeh? No, wait —" he paused again. "Was it —?"

The kettle suddenly began to squeal, startling Alphonse. The owl screeched again and swooped down and onto the pile of rock cakes on the table as Hagrid rushed to the fire. Buckbeak made a squawking sound, shaking his mighty feathered head. Katrina was quick to withdraw her hand and make sure her owl was okay.

Luckily, Alphonse hadn't hurt himself. With a sigh, Katrina slumped into an oversized chair and rubbed her forehead a little. Hagrid stomped back with his kettle, holding it with two huge mittens before pouring a bit of tea into a large bucket of a tankard and a small, chipped teacup for her.

"Thank you," Katrina said quietly, taking her tea and blowing on it softly. She was sure to keep her eyes away from Hagrid's massive frame and instead stared at the fire.

"Yer welcome," Hagrid said gruffly again, setting his teapot down and removing his oven mittens. He was quiet for a moment as he sat down again in his wallowed chair, glancing about awkwardly. Katrina still stared at the fire.

"Don't tell me yeh went with the twins?" he finally asked.

"W-well," Katrina stuttered, rubbing the rim of her chipped cup while biting the inside of her cheek. "Not . . . _just_ the twins . . . Lee and Cora, too."

Hagrid groaned, sinking lower into his chair and rubbing his face with his hand before taking a giant swig of his tea. "Oh, my," he said. "Imagine! Yeh could've been killed! Maimed! 'Specially without me there!"

"It was alright, really!" Katrina said quickly. "Like I said before, we didn't go very far in!"

"But still!" Hagrid said. "Imagine what could'a happened if Black caught yeh or summat!"

Katrina shuffled in her seat, sipping a bit on her tea. Hagrid blinked and cleared his throat, readjusting his position in his chair and patting his beard.

"I-I mean — sorry," he said after a moment. "I don't mean tah nag on yeh, but yeh've got ter be careful."

"I know, Professor," Katrina said with a nod. "I don't think any of us will be going back to the forest for a long while."

"I'd hope you'd never go back," Hagrid said worriedly, "but alright. That'll do fer now, I s'pose."

"It's alright," Katrina mumbled, drinking the rest of her tea in one last gulp.

* * *

By the middle of the week, the twins were restless again. The Quidditch final was only a few days away and their team was practicing like crazy, along with being piled head-over-arse with homework. So, they seemed to have decided, they were going to put their last Potions assignment to use. When Snape wasn't looking, George poured some of his potion into two vials of his and slipped them into his robe. Katrina was just quick enough to catch him in the act. She didn't pay it any mind, though; she was much more worried about how poorly her potion had been brewed. Her wand was _still_ acting up.

After surely receiving an F for the assignment, Katrina headed to Dinner with the twins. They were skipping the Toffees today since practice was immediately after eating and they didn't want to go to the Boathouse after ten. Lee was going to watch them, though, so Katrina thought she might as well come, too.

At the Quidditch Pitch, the air was unusually cool. She hoped that Saturday would be warmer, otherwise she might have to bring out her winter robes again. As Katrina watched Fred and George bat Bludgers back and forth, and Angelina score nine times, and Katie and Alicia both score six times, and Harry catch the snitch at least three times (she dozed off a little towards the end), she was fairly certain that Slytherin didn't have a chance.

Around eleven at night, Quidditch practice was finally over. Katrina was clinging onto Lee's arm for dear life as they neared the locker room exit, waiting for the team to reemerge and finally return to the common room. She was incredibly sleepy and just wanted to take a nice, long nap — but she had to help Lee with his Charms essay.

"Hurry up," she grumbled to herself as she glared at the locker room door.

"Don't get cranky," Lee chuckled as the door creaked open, revealing a chattering Wood. He was talking to himself, rubbing his forehead and probably calculating the many ways Gryffindor could win against Slytherin, or how many ways Slytherin could possibly beat Gryffindor. Next came Katie, then Alicia, then George, Angelina, and Harry, and then Fred. He seemed to be taking it extra slow, and Katrina had the rising suspicion it was just to get on her nerves.

"I swear to Merlin, Fred," she told him dangerously as Fred slow-walked his way to her, "if you don't put your arse in gear, I will personally kick it all the way up to the seventh floor corridor."

"If you can stay awake that long, you mean," he snickered in reply, taking Katrina's arm and pulling her away from Lee, who seemed a bit surprised because of it. Then, with a playful snort, he rammed his shoulder into Fred's, knocking him into Katrina and making her nearly stagger.

"Don't hurt Trina, boys," George said over his shoulder. "She's very frail, wouldn't want to break her."

"Shut up, Weasley," Katrina threw George a raspberry. He and the girls began to laugh as Harry shook his head with a small smile. Oliver didn't notice anything.

And so, Katrina trudged all the way up the Grand Staircase with the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, half-asleep already and dreading the fact that she had to stay up until probably one in the morning just for one measly paper that wasn't even hers. With a stifled mumble of glumness, she stepped into the red-and-gold common room, incredibly grateful for its warm and homey atmosphere.

But the moment she plopped into one of the many comfy armchairs, they were down to business. Lee had his paper, quill, and ink out in record timing and was sitting stiffly, ready to grasp onto her every word about Summoning Charms. Heaving a very deep, very audible sigh, Katrina prepared herself for a long, long night.

Though it wasn't _quite_ as long as she anticipated, she was still quite tired by the time Lee scratched his final word on his parchment and re-corked his inkwell. Fred had sat in front of Katrina's legs on the floor and was currently allowing her to play with his hair as her eyelids grew heavier and heavier.

"Oi, Fred?" she asked him while George stretched on the couch beside Lee.

"Hm?" Fred hummed, crossing his legs and propping his chin on his palm.

"What day is it?"

"Well, if you wanna me technical, it's Thursday."

With a loud groan, Katrina fell forward and shoved her nose into Fred's hair. He didn't seem to mind at all.

"I know," he sighed. "I want it to be the weekend, too."

"Don't we all?" George moaned from his seat, audibly popping his back. Lee made an odd disgusted face before nodding in agreement.

"Maybe then we could actually finish all of our homework," he grumbled.

"_You_ ought to finish _your_ homework anyways," Katrina said, but was muffled by Fred's hair getting stuck in her mouth. But she was honestly too tired to care.

"Trina, love," Fred said idly, tapping his fingers on his cheeks, "you're gonna choke on my hair. If I were you, I wouldn't fancy 'Death by Ginger' to be plastered on my tombstone."

Katrina raised her head up just the slightest bit so she could speak. "I don't _caaaaareeeeee_," she moaned.

"Alright then, suit yourself," Fred chuckled, leaning into her knees. Katrina thudded her chin onto his head again and took in a deep breath in hopes to wake her up more, but all that resulted in was a big whiff of whatever Fred's hair smelled like. She closed her eyes thoughtfully, but found sleep creeping closer and closer.

"What kinda shampoo d'you use?" she asked, voice wavering a bit. "I like it. . ."

"Nothing special," Fred shrugged, raising a hand and pulling a chunk of Katrina's blue hair, jerking her awake. "Just something to clean it."

"That's better than Snape, at least," Lee grumbled again as he sealed his parchment and stuffed it in his bag with the rest of his things.

"Much better," Katrina agreed with a humorous scowl, dipping her nose deeper into Fred's hair. "Can I sleep here tonight, Fred?"

"I'd rather you slept beside me rather than on me," Fred said casually. "Would you mind being on the floor with me for a night?"

"Nah," Katrina yawned. Fred shuffled to the side so Katrina could slide down her chair and onto the floor. George cocked an eyebrow.

"Here they go again," Lee said quietly as he zipped his bag shut and sat back on the sofa.

Katrina made a tiny grunt of protest, but Fred had looped an arm around her and she found his shoulder oddly inviting.

"This is practically all they do at this point," George grumbled. "They even snog in front of me now. I swear they do it on purpose, too."

"Yep," Fred said brightly as Katrina leaned into him, falling asleep almost instantly.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT**

* * *

_annnnNNNNND SHE GETS TO POST ON HER BIRTHDAY! (wild applause) (loud whooping) (canon blasts) (confetti tornadoes) (etc etc)  
_


	29. JUST A QUICKY

"Hey, Trina," George said, pulling something out of his robes the next evening, "take a whiff of this, would you?"

Frowning, Katrina moved her head back as George shoved something in her face. It was a corked vial filled with a pretty pink liquid that reminded her of her hair when she was surprised. Cocking an eyebrow, she looked back to George.

"Is that what you swiped from Potions yesterday?" Katrina asked.

"Yep," he nodded. "We thought of another candy idea for later, and we wanted to see how well the potion would work inside one of our Toffees. Just as a little experiment."

He shook the vial a bit before uncorking it. The potion puffed out a patch of pink smoke. George brought it up to his nose for a quick second, sniffed it, and shrugged.

"Why d'you want _me_ to smell it, though?" Katrina asked. She was growing suspicious. The potion they had brewed yesterday was the infamous Amortentia, a Love Potion.

" 'Cause," Fred piped as he slumped in beside George, "we're curious. We already know what it smells like for us, but not for you."

With a bit of a scowl, Katrina glanced at the potion again, which George was holding out to her. Amortentia had a different combination of scents for everyone — the smells that they were attracted to.

"For purely experimental purposes?" she asked slowly.

"Absolutely," Fred and George said as Lee sat down on the coffee table, seeing as the sofa was full. He crossed his arms, interested.

"Go on," he said.

After sending the boys each a humorous grimace, Katrina carefully took the vial from George's hand and wafted the scent into her nose. It was familiar, since she had smelled a good lot of it the day before — but something was new.

Puzzled, she gave the potion an odd look. "That's weird," she said.

"What's weird?" Fred asked, leaning out from behind his brother to get a better look at her.

"There's some other smell now," Katrina said, glancing up at the twins and Lee. "I smell what I usually smell — chocolate, Lav–"

"Hold on," George said, whipping out a notebook and quill that Katrina hadn't noticed before. "What was it?"

Furrowing her eyebrows together, she repeated, "Chocolate, Lavender, and new-book smell."

"Okay," George said as he bit his tongue and scribbled down a few words.

"But what else?" Lee asked, leaning on the edge of the table.

"I don't . . . know?" Katrina said as she sniffed the potion again. She knew she had smelled it before, and it must have been recently, too. But, surely, if she found it attractive, she'd remember it, wouldn't she?

As if to jog her memory, Katrina began to look around the Gryffindor common room. Was it the wood in the fireplace? No, she thought. The fabric of the armchairs? No.

Armchairs, though. That seemed familiar. Staring at a particular one seemed to make Katrina want to think, for some reason. And then it hit her. She had been in that armchair last night.

But that didn't help, so she glanced over to the mahogany tables that lined the rounded walls. Nothing there. Maybe the sofa? Katrina looked to George, sifted her eyes down to his feet, where is bag was, then up to Fred. And, quite suddenly, she noticed his hair. Not to say she didn't always notice it — it was pretty hard to miss, after all — but it had sent a smack to her brain.

_That_ was the new smell. _His hair._

Apparently, Katrina had been staring. And she had gone rigid. And now she was blushing and her hair was turning a very brilliant shade of purple. George and Lee looked between her and Fred, confused. But Fred had started to smirk. With a waggle of his eyebrows, Katrina knew that he had figured it out, too.

"Anyways!" Katrina squeaked quickly, stealing the cork from George's fingers and slamming it onto the vial. "Wh-what is it that you all smell?"

"Mum's cooking," the twins said at once. Fred was still smirking.

"And the Quidditch Pitch's grass," George continued. "Right after a storm. That's when it smells best."

"Fireworks, too," Fred added, raising a hand to ruffle his hair. He sent Katrina a wink. She turned even redder. "And a little something else for me, but I'll save it for later."

"What does —" Lee began, but was cut off by Fred punching his shoulder lightly.

"And what about you, Lee?" he asked merrily. "What's your Amortentia?"

"Oh," Lee said with a bit of a shrug. "Just some things, like bonfires and smores."

"And Angelina's fancy perfume," George whispered to Katrina. She was a little too distracted by Fred bouncing in his seat, giddy as could be, to giggle at George's joke.

"Oi!" Lee shouted indignantly. "I heard that!"

"You were _supposed_ to," George laughed.

Shell-shocked, Katrina fell into the cushions of the couch, mouth open, cheeks magenta, and hair still a very vibrant purple.

As the boys began to playfully argue, she began to think, which could have lead to a disaster in itself. Was that normal? To find the smell of somebody's hair attractive? _Extremely_ attractive, so much so that their Amortentia scents would consist of it? To be honest, it sounded like something directly out of those old romance novels she used to read. But that only happened when the character liked the person with the nice-smelling hair.

This time, she didn't spare a glance in Fred's direction. Katrina didn't really trust herself. What if — what if she actually _did_ like him? That'd be disastrous. One-sided attractions never worked out in reality.

Then her stomach did a funny little flop that almost made her jump in fright. Fred and George had decided to swap places while she was gazing into space.

"Hello," Fred said suggestively as he slid in beside her, throwing his arm over her shoulders and squeezing Katrina into him. She gave a small squeak of surprise.

Fred waved his hand at George and Lee, almost cuing them to continue their conversation. With confused glances, that's exactly what they did. After a few moments of awkward quietness (or awkward in Katrina's case, at least), Fred leaned into her ear and began to whisper.

"You fancy my hair, do you?" he snickered quietly.

Katrina grew so rigid that she couldn't feel her arms. The purple hair atop her head flashed from lavender to bright bubblegum pink.

"N-no!" she screeched as softly as she could to him, widening her eyes as she stared at his freckled nose. "Of course I don't, that's ridiculous! And even if I did, that doesn't mean that I like you, because I can like the way your hair smells and not like you because — because — because I don't have to like you! I don't! A-and I mean, yeah, your hair smells nice, and I do really like it, even if it is orange, but th-that doesn't mean that I _like_ you because I couldn't possibly _like_ you, it's practically impossible for me to _like_ people because I don't know how to!"

"Whoa, whoa!" Fred laughed, raising his free hand and pumping it up and down. "Slow down, love! Don't faint or something."

He seemed oddly amused. Very amused, actually. Almost merry.

But she was still confused. "You mean you're — you're not going to say anything?"

" 'Course I am," Fred said cheekily, "just not right now. How about I tell you what my other Amortentia scent is, hm?"

But that was a completely different subject! Katrina thought. Or mostly different, anyways. She could've sworn he was going to say something about her liking him; so why wasn't he?

While Katrina raised an eyebrow at Fred, he began to casually glance up a little here or there. But she didn't make the connection.

Finally, with a roll of his eyes, Fred took a good lock of Katrina's hair and pulled on it a bit so she could see it. For a second, she stared at it. And then it became even brighter.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no," she said. "No, you don't like my —"

"Shampoo," Fred said simply. George and Lee were now debating about Quidditch teams.

"_No,_" Katrina said sternly, "you _can't_ because you don't —"

"Oh, don't start that again," Fred groaned quietly.

"But you —"

"C'mon, Trina, gimme a snog," he intervened again.

"Wha–"

"Haven't gotten one today," Fred said, waggling a finger in front of her nose.

"Maybe you don't need one," Katrina snapped. "Not if you're so hellbent on liking me, which you d–"

"No, no," he said, "I definitely need one."

She glared. Fred smirked. He had won, and he very well knew it.

"Stupid bastard," Katrina grumbled to himself. "To suave for his own damn good."

"Sounds about right," Fred hummed. "Now pucker up."

Now, Katrina would have been quite able to actually kiss Fred like any usual pair of kissing friends would, but he was much less patient then she was when it came to these things. So, like always, Fred gave her no warning and locked his lips with hers, not waiting for a retort or complaint or sassy comment. But maybe that was a good thing, because once Katrina molded in with him, she calmed down considerably. Her heart stopped racing and the now very familiar sense of fluttering cascaded through her stomach like a soothing tidal wave. Within a few moments, her hair faded back to its bright blue and the pale coloring of her skin returned.

When Fred removed himself, he looked Katrina up and down and smirked a little more. She snorted, lifted one corner of her mouth in a smile, and then punched him lightly in the shoulder.

After gasping dramatically, Fred gripped his arm like it had been cut by a sword and cried out in agony, "Nay! Thou hast slain thee! How dare thee defy the feelings that reside in thou's heart, and instead wound their true love in denial?"

"I don't think that was grammatically correct, mate," George snickered as he elbowed Fred's side. The common room had a small wave of muffle laughter before they returned to their usual chatter.

"Oh, shut it," Fred laughed back, elbowing George back. "I got my point across."

"I did not 'slay' thee," Katrina said haughtily. "I merely bruised."

"Oh, yes," Fred said sarcastically, " 'Tis but a scratch! You'll be saying that until Pomfrey says I have to get my arm amputated!"

"Amputated my arse," Katrina snorted.

"I don't think you can do that," Lee sniggered from his table. Katrina kicked his calf, but lightly.

"Ouch!" Lee yelped dramatically. "Fred, your girlfriend's become aggressive!"

"I'm _not_—"

"I'll have to put her on a tighter leash, eh?" Fred said as he bumped his shoulder into Katrina. When she opened her mouth to retort, he sent her a wink.

They all went silent. Katrina snapped her jaw shut.

"I," she started slowly, witheringly, "am going to _torture_ you."

"Kinky!" Fred shouted, leaping up from the sofa and pointing at her. "Kinky, kinky, kinky! I told you all! You owe me two Galleons, each of you! _Kinky!_"

The common room began to roar quietly. George and Lee were by far the loudest, doubled over and clutching their stitches. Katrina's hair flared purple again as she hid her face. She didn't want Fred to know she was fighting laughter herself.

* * *

As the week slowly began to end, the twins became louder and more obnoxious than ever. Angelina, Alicia, and Katie had all decided to sit with Katrina nearly all day Friday and laugh at them along with Lee. They must have been really stressed out, Katrina thought, if they were doing this much to relieve themselves. She nearly expected the dorms to burst open at the seams with exploding fireworks, but they didn't. At least they could restrain themselves a little bit.

Katrina escorted herself back to the Ravenclaw common room around half-past Eight in the evening, since she knew the Gryffindor Quidditch team needed its rest. The final was tomorrow, and if they didn't win, she was personally going to be very, very angry.

The next morning, Katrina got up extra early and was one of the very first students to enter the Great Hall for breakfast. She sat at the Ravenclaw table, since she didn't know the Gryffindor or Hufflepuffs at their tables very well, and began to fill her plate with over-easy eggs and bacon.

More and more students piled in, including the Slytherin team. To a very dismal and quiet applause, they sat themselves down at their table and began to eat, scowling. Not much later, the doors opened again to reveal Oliver Wood, Harry Potter, Fred, George, Alicia, Katie, and Angelina. The whole of the Gryffindor table shot up to their feet, whooping and hollering, as Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs alike began to clap wildly, Katrina included. It was quite clear who the majority of the school was rooting for.

Not long before breakfast ended, Katrina was surprised by something soft and fuzzy wrapping itself tightly around her mouth and keeping her from eating her last sausage. Baffled and confused, she spluttered until the cloth unraveled so that it was loosely around her neck. Fred and George laughed from behind Katrina as she spat out lint and fuzz, each of them pulling up an end of the scarf and waving it around.

"You're gonna support us at the match!" George said as Katrina turned to look at them both, rolling her eyes with a playful smile. The scarf was red and gold, Gryffindor colors.

"Silly me, I thought my feelings of supportingness would be enough," she said jokingly.

"Nope!" Fred said as he looped his end of the scarf around her neck and draped it over her shoulder. "You've gotta show your Gryffindor pride for us physically!"

"And _not_ by snogging him every blooming minute," George sniggered.

"I don't snog him every blooming minute," Katrina laughed, popping her sausage in her mouth.

"Wish you did," Fred winked. She rolled her eyes again and swallowed.

"Yes, yes, we know," George moaned comically, pushing his brother away from the table. "C'mon, Oliver'll be furious if we don't hurry up —"

"He's already mad," Fred retaliated as he swerved away from George's shove and instead doubled over beside Katrina so he could look her in the eye.

"Hey," he said.

"Wotcher," Katrina replied with a single eyebrow quirk.

Fred pointed to his cheek. Inhaling deeply, Katrina looked to the ceiling.

"Merlin, help me," she called quietly to herself.

"Just a quicky!" Fred pleaded. "For good luck!"

"And if you don't win?"

"Are you saying that we won't?" George piped.

" 'Course not," Katrina said.

"Then kiss me already!" Fred pouted.

With a heavy sigh, Katrina looked back to him. He might have pushed his lower lip out a bit more for emphasis.

"Fine," she said, "but if you _do_ lose, I'm considering myself bad luck and you won't ever get a kiss from me again."

"Fair enough," Fred smirked. "We're gonna win anyways."

"Of course you will," she hummed, leaning forward and pecking his cheek.

And as Fred was dragged out of the Great Hall by George, he looked like he was on top of the world.

* * *

Katrina was waving the scarf the twins had given her as she sat beside Lee, Professor McGonagall, and Cora. She was outraged. The game had started off quickly and quite well, seeing as Gryffindor scored only two minutes into the game, but now the Slytherins were getting dirty. Marcus Flint had just deliberately slammed himself into Angelina.

"Sorry!" he was saying. "Didn't see her!"

"Oh, yes you did!" Katrina shouted. Luckily Lee's commentating megaphone didn't pick up her less refined terms, and neither did McGonagall.

"Calm down, Katrina," Cora said consolingly, patting her arm. "It could've been an accident!"

"No, it couldn't have!" Katrina retorted sharply. "It was on purpose! Ruddy dirty, that Flint —"

There was a deafening _CRACK!_ from somewhere nearby. Fred zoomed by the Quidditch stands, Beater's club in hand, laughing madly. Flint got hit in the back of the head by his Bludger and smashed his face into the handle of his broom, resulting in a very bloody nose.

"Well," Cora sighed, "at least Fred seems to agree with you."

Both Gryffindor and Slytherin were given a penalty shot, what with each of their actions being clearly deliberate. Fred, Katrina, and Lee were all very much unamused that those slimy, green blokes were given a free shot, too, but went with it anyways. Wood was brilliant enough at Quidditch that he saved the Quaffle, and Alicia scored with ease.

So the game continued. Gryffindor and Slytherin swapped possession of the ball for a bit, the Chasers speeding up and down the arena. Finally, Katie took the ball and began to shoot down to the Slytherin goal posts. Katrina leaned onto the edge of her seat, wringing the twins' scarf in her fingers.

"THAT WAS DELIBERATE!" Lee roared with the many boos of the crowd. Montague had swerved in front of Katie, taken hold of her ponytail, and yanked her around. She had somehow stayed on, despite the many rolls and cartwheels she had been making in midair, but had dropped the Quaffle.

"You bastard!" Katrina cried. Cora jumped up and slammed a hand over Katrina's mouth as McGonagall narrowed her eyes their way.

Madam Hooch screeched with her whistle, and Gryffindor was given another penalty. Katie scored.

"THIRTY-ZERO!" Lee cried. "TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING —"

"Jordan, if you can't commentate in an unbiased way —" Professor McGonagall began dangerously.

"I'm telling it like it is, Professor!" Lee said indignantly.

"Really!" Katrina said as she ripped Cora's hand off of her face. "Leave me be! All of the Slytherins are being bloody _pricks_ and you want me to be _quiet about it?_"

"Yes!" Cora said. "I do!"

But Katrina wasn't listening anymore. Not only was she ignoring Cora, but Harry and that Malfoy boy had gone into a dive towards the Slytherin end of the Pitch.

Harry was just narrowly missed by a Bludger sent by one of the Slytherin Beaters. Then another one flew past his head by the _other_ Slytherin Beater. Katrina gritted her teeth together. Her hair flared white. Both of them were gaining on Harry, raising their clubs as if his head was a Bludger. _That should be a fowl!_

But luckily, the Gryffindor Seeker was much cleverer than those two idiots. He shot upward in a split-second, and the two Beaters smashed into each other. Katrina stretched the scarf out between her hands and yelped in wicked glee.

"Serves them right!" she shouted as Lee began to commentate again.

"Ha haaa!" he laughed. The Slytherin Beaters retched away from each other, lolling stupidly in the air as they held their heads. "Too bad, boys! You'll need to get up earlier than that to beat a Firebolt! And it's Gryffindor in possession again, as Johnson takes the Quaffle — Flint alongside her — poke him in the eye, Angelina! —"

Professor McGonagall mad a sound like she was about to intervene.

"It was a joke, Professor, it was a joke —" Lee continued without taking a breath, "oh no — Flint in possession, Flint flying toward the Gryffindor goal posts, come on now, Wood, save —!"

Flint threw the Quaffle. Oliver's fingers just grazed the ball as he reached with all his might, but he missed. The Quaffle soared through one of the rings. Three-fourths of the Quidditch stands groaned in disappointment while the other side, the Slytherin side, cheered. Lee began to swear so much that McGonagall tried to take the megaphone away from him.

As Lee began to apologize profusely, Katrina watched as the game grew into one of the dirtiest she'd ever seen. And, sadly, it wasn't just the Slytherins that were being immature. George was elbowing another Beater in the face, Angelina was cursing so loudly the bleachers could hear, and each team was getting a penalty right and left.

After a few penalties and a brilliant save by Oliver, Katie scored. They were fifty-ten. If Harry caught the Snitch now, the Gryffindors would win the Cup. Fred and George circled around Katie, on guard with their clubs raised and looking awfully angry. Katrina was glad to see Katie was safe, but that meant the rest of their team was unguarded.

As if to support her thought, the Slytherin Beaters aimed both Bludgers in Oliver's direction. Caught off-guard, Oliver took each in the stomach, and keeled over his broom. Cora gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. Katrina, however, began to shout obscenities to the whole of the Slytherin team. She didn't even care if McGonagall heard her; at this point, she nearly expected the furious Professor to begin ranting beside her.

And Madam Hooch, too. She was screaming so loudly the whole Quidditch Pitch could hear her.

"YOU DO NOT ATTACK THE KEEPER UNLESS THE QUAFFLE IS WITHIN THE SCORING AREA!" she was screeching. "Gryffindor penalty!"

Angelina scored, even though she was read in the face and livid. Katrina wasn't far behind. After getting hit by one of Fred's Bludgers, a Slytherin Chaser dropped the Quaffle and Alicia was soon in possession and scored again. Gryffindor was leading by sixty points.

Katrina watched as the Quaffle was passed from Chaser to Chaser, blocked by a Keeper, and passes on again. The whole arena was screaming, even the Slytherins, but for their own team. Everyone else was supporting Gryffindor. Even the stingiest of Ravenclaws didn't want Slytherin to get the Cup.

Cora suddenly began to grip Katrina's upper arm. Startled, Katrina looked at her, and then around the Pitch.

Harry was soaring high above the stands, reaching his hand out for a golden speck. But Malfoy was right behind him, and he suddenly leaped forward. Malfoy grabbed a hold on Harry's Firebolt, pulling it away from the Snitch.

"THAT'S ANOTHER PENALTY!" Katrina cried, along with the rest of the red-and-gold crowd.

Madam Hooch and Lee were right with her. "Penalty! Penalty to Gryffindor!" Hooch was shouting as Lee cursed and insulted Malfoy with his megaphone. McGonagall was so angry her hat had fallen off and she was waving her finger harshly in Malfoy's direction.

Alicia missed their penalty by a good eight feet because of how furious she was. The Slytherins, however, were at the top of their game. A Chaser — Lee called him Montague — scored. They were seventy-twenty.

Angelina got the Quaffle.

The whole of the Slytherin team, even the Keeper, sped toward Angelina to block her. Malfoy was the only one not up her arse, and only because Harry was keeping him from doing so. But then Harry wheeled around and shot through the Slytherins, distracting them and giving Angelina a clear route.

She scored.

As Harry skidded to a stop, nearly throwing himself into the stands, the whole Pitch gasped. Malfoy was diving.

Harry flew like a bullet to the Snitch, which was merely a tiny, golden shimmer above the grass of the field. Within moments, he was at Malfoy's elbows. Harry lurched forward, reached both his hands forward and knocked Malfoy out of the way.

Harry had caught the Snitch.

As he pulled out of his dive, holding the Snitch up into the air, Harry was pelted by Fred and George and the bleachers exploded with screams of triumph. Angelina, Alicia, and Katie joined in on the hug, and they all floated down to the ground, where the stadium was leaking out to meet them.

Katrina, Cora, and Lee ran down with the others until they were sprinting over the field, surrounded by a sea of crimson and scarlet and gold. The Gryffindor team was hoisted onto everyone's shoulders, thrown into the air, and other multitudes of other crazy things. Katrina was so extremely happy that her hair was the brightest lime-green that it had ever been.

Dumbledore passed the cup to a sobbing Oliver, who passed it on to Harry. Gryffindor had finally won the Quidditch Cup.

* * *

The next Monday, Katrina was too busy awkwardly looking over Job brochures and packets to celebrate Gryffindor's win any further. Today was the day Fifth Years had to plan out their schedule for next year. The classes they had to rest on their shoulders for the whole of their adult lives.

Finally, a while after midday, Katrina was called into Professor Flitwick's office. She awkwardly sat in one of the chairs in front of her Head of House's desk, awkwardly looked around the bricked walls, and awkwardly tapped her fingers on her knee.

"Miss Rhinehart," Professor Flitwick greeted.

"Professor," Katrina replied stiffly.

"How are you today, Miss Rhinehart?" Flitwick asked casually.

"A bit anxious, to be honest," Katrina said. "But otherwise, I suppose I'm fine. Yourself?"

"Tired, but well, thank you," Flitwick nodded as he dipped his tall, white feather quill into his ink. "Have you any idea what you'd like to do after school, Miss Rhinehart?"

"Um," Katrina hummed awkwardly, glancing up at the ceiling, "not really, no. . . . I mean, I sort of do, but I don't think that . . . we have any classes for it."

She shuffled a bit in her seat. Flitwick nodded again, scratching something down on his parchment.

"Alright. Would you just like to continue your current classes?"

Katrina sighed. Thank goodness, he wasn't going to ask any questions. "Yes, please."

"Any you would like to take out?"

With a thoughtful look, Katrina stared outside the window and over the Forbidden Forest.

"History of Magic," she said. After a moment, she added, "And Astronomy, too. I think my mum knows enough about stars and things to help me should I ever need it in the future."

"Alright," Flitwick nodded. "No more History of Magic and Astronomy. Are you sure, though? Don't want to get rid of Potions?"

As Professor Flitwick gave Katrina a knowing look, she shook her head. "I'm sure. Snape will have to deal with me for another two years, because I'm sure to get an O on his OWL and I need all the brewing and healing experience where I think I might go."

Flitwick, with yet another nod, muttered a few things to himself and wrote another couple of notes on his parchment.

"You do understand that you will be studying these classes for the next two years for your N.E.W.T.s, correct?" he asked.

"Yes, Professor," Katrina replied.

"And another two years of Care of Magical Creatures and Divination?"

Katrina hesitated. "Yes."

"Alright," Professor Flitwick repeated, sighing a little and then smiling up at Katrina. "We've finished. Thank you for your time, Miss Rhinehart. Send in Mr. Roberts as you go, will you?"

"Of course, Professor," Katrina said as she gratefully stood from her seat and exited Flitwick's office. At least that was done and over with. Now all she had to do was find out which classes Cora, Lee, and the twins were scheduled for next year, and maybe she wouldn't feel so uncomfortable.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE**

* * *

_The year is slowly coming to an end! Exams are coming up and the Quidditch Final has finally been won. In other words. . . _

_We don't have long to go._

_o;_


	30. STUTTERS AND SPLUTTERS

Saturday was an absolute blessing. Katrina could finally slack off a bit on all of the homework the professors were giving her and rest for a day. She sat at breakfast with Fred, George, Lee, Oliver (who was still rather emotional since the match last week), and Percy, who was waiting for Penelope because she had apparently slept in. Quite sleepily, she poked her over-easy eggs while nodding off a little, cheek propped up on her fist and just hardly awake.

Fred was on her left, George on her right, and Lee in front of her with Oliver and Percy beside him. The twins were watching her intently, waiting for the moment that her eyes drooped to their lowest point.

When Katrina had slipped into that half-second of sleep, they struck. Fred knocked her hand out from under her and George jerked her plate over so that Katrina's chin smacked onto the table and jerked her awake.

The second her teeth clacked together, dull pain erupted through Katrina's jaw and she jumped away from the table, rubbing her chin tenderly and glaring at the twins with eyes that were welling with tears.

Fred and George snickered almost guiltily as Lee snorted and looked away, biting his lips. Oliver hadn't noticed anything because he was staring off into space and Percy looked genuinely concerned for a moment before turning to the twins with a stern air.

"Oh, don't start," Fred laughed, rolling his eyes at Percy and scooting closer to Katrina, who was wiping her eyes with one hand and holding her jaw with the other. "She'll be fine. Look, we even saved her food!"

George pointed to Katrina's plate of food as Percy sniffed.

"That hurt," Katrina grumbled. The tears were more of an automatic instinct rather than her actually crying.

"You'll be fine," Fred shrugged, looping an arm around her waist as he shoved a piece of toast covered in marmalade into his mouth.

"If you think your chin's broke, we'll take you to Pomfrey, though," George laughed a little.

"Or I can kiss it better, if you'd like," Fred said as he puckered his lips humorously.

"No, I'm fine," Katrina laughed a little as she shoved Fred away and took her plate from George, prodding her eggs again. "But that was cruel."

"Very true," George said after jamming a few sausages into his mouth. Percy scoffed before cutting his egg with a knife and eating it in a very proper sort of way.

"I still think you need a kiss," Fred said before wiping his mouth with his sleeve.

"You always think I need a kiss," Katrina said, picking up a peace of bacon and moving her jaw around to make sure it was still fully functional.

"That's 'cause you always _do_ need a kiss," Fred replied matter-of-factly.

"And that's a very nice thought," Katrina said truthfully, "but I'm afraid George would cripple up and die if we snogged in front of him again."

"I would," George said through his sausages.

"And Lee would probably abandon us to flirt with Angelina," Fred added.

"I would," Lee said with a laugh. Percy sighed deeply.

"Perce would probably rant on and on about public displays of affection," George sniggered.

"He would," Fred laughed. Percy began to stab his eggs now, the tips of his ears turning pink.

"Leave him alone," Katrina told them both quietly, saving a glance Percy's way. "What's he done to you?"

"He was born," the twins chorused. Lee snorted again as Percy sucked in a sharp breath.

"That's awful," Katrina said with a frown.

"We're awful," Fred and George grinned cheekily.

"Oh, look!" Percy said in a sort of high-pitched voice as he slammed his fork down. "There's Penelope now! Penny! Penny, dear, I'm coming!"

And he stood up and shot to the entrance, where Penelope Clearwater had just appeared. The back of Percy's neck was an incredible shade of red.

Katrina sent the twins each a look from the corner of her eye. They were snickering to themselves while Lee hid his chuckles behind his hand. Oliver was still staring off into space, and a single tear dripped out of his eye and down his cheek.

"One day, Percy's going to go off on his own and you're going to miss him," Katrina stated haughtily, sitting up straighter in her chair as she raised her chin the slightest bit and picked up a piece of toast.

"No, we won't," Fred said as he plucked the toast from Katrina's fingers. She glared.

"Not in the slightest," George agreed, pulling her goblet closer to him and subtly reaching into his robes.

"Yes you will," Katrina rolled her eyes as she reached for another piece of toast, only to find herself befuddled. Something wasn't right. . .

She glanced to George, who jumped and pushed something into his pocket.

"Give me back my Pumpkin Juice," she said dangerously.

"Alright, geez," George scoffed uncomfortably, sliding to goblet back to Katrina. With a snooty air, she took a sip from it, all the while staring at George from the corner of her eye.

"Something the matter?"

Katrina then turned to Fred, who seemed uncharacteristically interested. Narrowing her eyes, she said, "I don't think so."

"You sure?" Fred asked as he leaned closer. "Nothing out of the ordinary?"

"N–" Katrina began, but stopped herself. George had put something in her goblet. Something he had swiped from potions the other day.

Fire burned through her cheeks as Katrina's scalp prickled so much her whole head turned numb. The hair atop her hair flared a blinding lavender as she stared, wide-eyed, at a smirking Fred.

"Oh, yes," he said, "I think there is."

Katrina then looked over the table, slack-jawed despite the tingling from her chin up and fighting the urge (unwillingly) to throw her Pumpkin Juice in Fred's face. Those ruddy _bastards!_ They had — they had —

"You've made me take a Love Potion!" she screeched quietly, raising a hand to claw at her cheek.

Fred and George shared a glance and then began to grin. "Yep!" they said.

"I — I-I —" Katrina stuttered in rage, hoping to Merlin that she could somehow fight the bubbles in her stomach, "I can't believe you — why would you —"

"Experimental purposes," Fred said slickly. Katrina stared at him again. Bad idea.

Almost every detail of his expression was blaring like bright, dazzling light in her mind. The subtle cock of one eyebrow, the glint of his teeth behind his smirking lips, the twenty-something freckles surrounding the tip of his nose. Everything was wonderfully arousing, and not even in a sexual way! She just wanted to . . . to . . .

"UGH!" Katrina screamed, shooting up from her seat and clumsily stepping out into the aisle between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. "I am _finished_ with you two!"

She stomped off, hair flashing white a few moments before she brushed past Percy and Penelope. She couldn't _believe_ that that smarmy, idiotic, attractive bloke — no, no that wasn't right! He wasn't attractive!

_Stop it, Trina!_ she told herself. _Don't let the potion get to you! Fight it off!_

But she couldn't. Images of Fred kept popping into her head against her will, like him laughing and him grinning and him smiling that stupid, god-forsaken smile that was so goofy it was cute.

With a huff and an aggravated grunt, Katrina climbed the stairs up, up, up to the Hall of Hexes. It was deserted, much like always, and quiet. The sun was shining through its many windows and lighting the brick walls with a golden sheen that reminded her of Fred's hair.

_No,_ it did not. _Nothing_ should remind her of Fred, especially things that she would usually enjoy. Groaning to herself, Katrina marched down the hall, turned around, and marched even more. Pacing back and forth usually helped her think.

But she couldn't think! Not with Fred popping up everywhere! Slamming a hand to her forehead, Katrina watched as stars erupted under her eyelids and tried to count them. By the time she counted star number two, though, she was reminded of the twins, and then reminded of Fred. Could she find no way out?

Sucking in the quickest, heaviest breath she could, she shoved her sleeve up her elbow and glared at her watch. It read, with flashing letters:

YOU. SHOULD. BE. AT. BREAKFAST.

"I don't care!" Katrina cried. "I don't want to be at breakfast! _He's_ there!"

The clock didn't reply.

"But I've got classes with him now, haven't I?" Katrina asked herself. "I sit with him, too! In every damned class! Every one! And I can't sit with George, because he looks just like him, and I can't sit with Lee because he's always near them! I — I don't know — oh, I'm going to _kill_ him. No — no, wait — I'm going to kill all of them! They were in on it, weren't they? George and Lee? Oh, great Godric, are they going to rue the day — _AUGH!_"

And then she stomped down the stairs again, preparing herself mentally for the rest of the day.

* * *

Katrina spent the majority of her day avoiding Fred, or just the boys in general. She completely avoided the Seventh Floor Corridor, used whichever staircase the twins weren't using in the Grand Staircase, and busied herself at the Ravenclaw table beside Luna Lovegood and Parvati Patil to make sure that they wouldn't be able to find a seat with her during Lunch and Dinner. It was absolutely horrible, especially with images and flattering thoughts about Fred swirling through her head every-other second.

And, finally, Dinner was over. With a sigh, she left the Great Hall and carefully walked down her usual path, all in routine. She peeked around corners, she tiptoed down halls, and she even hid behind a tapestry here or there. Yet something felt odd. . . . Why was she alone again?

But she shrugged it off until she slipped behind a portrait and emerged in the Boathouse.

The second that she stepped onto the cold, stone floor and the portrait shut behind her, Katrina mentally slapped herself. She met with the twins here every night! It was in her routine, it was habit, so she had come down here without a second thought. But she was supposed to be _avoiding_ them! Not walking up to them!

Though, as she looked around carefully, squinting into the dark shadows and listening keenly to the gentle splashing of the water on the dock, she relaxed. They weren't here, she was alone. And there wasn't a cauldron on the ground, nor were there any Toffees (besides a few of their melted and still-bubbling failed prototypes). Katrina was safe.

She fell to the ground, sitting and crossing her legs while massaging her face with her hands. Today had been absolutely dreadful.

"It's made me like him," she said dully. "It's made me like his face, his voice, the way he acts. And I hate him for it."

"Doesn't sound like it."

Katrina held in a screech as she jumped and fell onto her back, scrambling around to try and find whoever had been watching her. Not that she really needed to, though; she knew that voice anywhere at this point.

"Fred, I swear to God," she started dangerously.

"Simmer down, love, simmer down," Fred said consolingly as he sat up from inside one of the boats roped to the dock. "It was just a bit of harmless eavesdropping!"

"I hardly call it harmless!" Katrina snapped, glancing anywhere but his face. ". . . Where's George?"

"Not here."

"Why?"

" 'Cause this is a private conversation, and private conversations are between two people," Fred said slowly, as if explaining what a Cure for Boils cured to a two-year-old.

"Not always," Katrina grumbled, staring at her feet.

"Well, in this case, it is," Fred grunted as he ungracefully clamored out of the boat, nearly falling on his face.

Katrina didn't even look his way as Fred recovered swiftly and waltzed to her side, sitting down with a quiet _thump_ and a bit of a grunt. She didn't want to face his triumphant smirk and boastful banter. So, instead, she stared at the tiny speck of a spider crawling up the side of a stone wall.

"You've been in a right state," Fred said after a moment. Katrina humphed.

"Well, I would think I would be," she retorted snobbishly. "I _was_ slipped a Love Potion this morning."

He snorted.

"What?" Katrina shrieked, snapping her head back to him. "What's so funny? D'you know how much bloody time I've wasted thinking about _you_ and your bleeding attractiveness?"

"Too much time?" Fred asked, slowly beginning to grin.

"_Way_ too much time!" she cried. "If you want me to like you, don't force me to with Amortentia!"

"That's the thing, though, Trina," Fred snickered as he twirled a finger in her face. "We didn't slip you a Love Potion. We only _acted _like we did."

"Wh–"

"For experimental purposes," he said satisfactorily. "We wanted to see if you would freak out and think that you liked me, which you did. Wanna know why you did?"

Before Katrina could reply, he plowed on.

" 'Cause you _do_ like me," Fred explained, sounding rather conceited. "See, there's a certain science to it all. If you didn't like me, you would've noticed the lack of romantic thoughts about me and realized that you hadn't actually been given a Love Potion. But if you _did_ like me, and if you were in denial — which you were — you'd be troubled all day because you thought you were being forced to like me.

"And, might I add," he laughed as he pulled Katrina into his shoulder, "if we had actually given you Amortentia, you'd be so in love with me that you'd be drooling at my feet. Literally. That's what Amortentia does, you know."

Stuttering and spluttering, Katrina looked up at Fred, rendered speechless. He was right. Now that she thought about it, she _wasn't_ infatuated with him. And she never had been! All this time, she had only been imagining all the things hoarding her brain. . . .

"So, basically," Fred finished, "you like me."

For a moment, Katrina was tempted to immediately deny the fact that she could ever like anyone, Fred specifically. But then she stopped and thought about it, and came eye-to-eye with the realization that yes, she was human, and she did feel attracted to other people. Honestly, why she thought she couldn't, she had no idea. Maybe she had distanced herself a bit _too_ much from everyone else? But putting that aside, _did she like Fred?_

Well, yes. Katrina liked him because he was nice, and funny, and charismatic, and friendly. But that was all platonic.

Did she find him physically attractive? Yes.

Did she find his personality attractive? Yes.

Did she want to be around him constantly, did she like his touch, did she get butterflies whenever he was close?

Yes.

"So, basically," Katrina repeated slowly, "I like you?"

"Yes!" Fred laughed. "Yes, you do! Now, will you just admit it already? Before I rip my hair out?"

But she was hit with a wicked streak. Alright, so she liked him! But he had pretended to be rather cruel. So what was she going to do? Be cruel right back.

"Why?" Katrina asked innocently. "If you already know, why should I have to tell you?"

"Because!" Fred groaned. "I need the satisfaction of you saying it!"

"What, is your voice not satisfying enough?" The edges of Katrina's mouth twitch upwards.

"No! Not when compared to — wait a moment . . ." Fred stopped himself, furrowing his eyebrows at Katrina. And then he began to smile.

"You're pulling my leg, aren't you?"

Katrina shuffled a little bit so she could sprawl out dramatically. "Maaaaaaaaybe."

"You little _arse!_" Fred cackled. "You just —"

"Swindled you?" Katrina giggled. "Tricked? Shamed? Scammed?"

A wonderful sort of weight had been lifted from her chest. She _liked_ someone. She could like, she could be attracted to, she had feelings, she was _human._ Yeah, deep down, she knew all of this anyways, but for some reason she had shoveled so many ugly and depressing things over it that she had forgotten that she, Katrina, was a person! And that she could have an opinion, and that she could like things, romantically or not! _What_ had she been thinking?

Fred looked like he was glowing. "I knew I liked you," he said jokingly.

But then another one of Katrina's heartstrings were plucked. _She could be liked._

In a bit of a flurry, she was sitting up again and had locked her arm around Fred's neck. "You're right," she said, starry-eyed. "It's mutual! Not one-sided at all!"

"Was that what you were worried about?" Fred snorted, raising an eyebrow. "Because that's completely barmy."

"I know that now," Katrina scoffed. "I'm not daft."

"No, 'course not, Your Brilliantness."

"In fact, I'm much smarter than you."

"Of course you are, Your Brilliantness."

"And while you're grovelling at my feet," Katrina sniffed humorously, "draw my bath and brew my tea. A queen deserves no less."

"Oh, of _course,_ Your Majesty," Fred said in a deep, important voice. "Would you like some of Britain's best scones ready for you on your silk pillow? We just got a fresh shipment from that Muggle queen."

"Absolutely." Katrina said. And then, after a moment, she added, "With some raspberry jam, too."

Fred laughed a little, hugging Katrina's middle and giving her an odd sort of pleased look. "What's gotten into you?"

"I don't know!" she said gleefully, bouncing a little. "But whatever it is, I like it!"

"Well, I do too," Fred said appreciatively, glancing at her up and down. Then he smirked again.

"Your hair's gone green."

"Oh, has it?" Katrina asked, flipping it off her shoulder. "I didn't notice. Hope you don't mind."

"Nah," Fred scrunched up his face in playful thought. "Better than red or that _god-awful _blue color."

"Shut it!" she laughed, shoving his shoulder. "You know you like my blue. You're the one who wanted blue in the first place!"

"I meant _dark_ blue, not bright, girly blue!"

"Well, too bad," Katrina said, sticking her tongue out. "I like it."

"I'm just joking, sheesh," Fred chuckled, poking her cheek with his long nose and keeping it there. "Don't get pissy."

"I'll get pissy if I damn well feel like it."

"Ooh, are you cursing again?" Fred cooed excitedly.

"Maybe."

"Curse s'more, I like it when you do."

"Alright then, you bloody tosser," Katrina snickered. "Why aren't you wanking in a broom closet? Isn't that what you like to do after dinner?"

"Oh, yes," Fred teased. "All the time, especially when I'm thinking of you."

Now laughing, Katrina shoved her face away from Fred's and onto his shoulder.

"But what about you?" Fred asked. "You can't tell me you've never wanked when you were thinking about me?"

"Oh, no, never," Katrina squeaked as she tried to speak through her laughter. "I much prefer Donaghan Tremlett!"

"Donaghan —?" Fred asked, genuinely confused. "Donaghan who?"

"Tremlett!" Katrina wheezed, moving away to look Fred in the eye and raise her eyebrows. "He's the — the bassist in The Weird Sisters!"

He groaned. "Don't tell me you're a _fangirl_ of them or something —"

"Shut up!" Katrina laughed, shoving him again. Fred grunted and fell to the floor melodramatically.

"O woes me," he cried, "for my one-est true love hast no love for me, but for the Donaghan Trem-arse!"

"Trem_lett!_" Katrina screeched indignantly, falling onto Fred's chest and listening as the wind was knocked out of him.

"Whatever!" Fred choked, raising a hand and waving it dismissively. "Same concept!"

"Well, he's much more attractive than _you,_" Katrina sniffed jestingly.

"That's not true!" Fred said as he finally regained his breath. "I'm the most handsome bloke around, you know that!"

"Is that so?" Katrina asked, propping her face up with her hand and jabbing her elbow into his ribs. Fred was winded again. "What about your twin? Is he the most handsome bloke around, too?"

"No," he gasped. "I look better than he does!"

"But you're identical!"

"I'm the more attractive twin!"

"Well, if _you're_ the more handsome," Katrina said, digging her elbow deeper into Fred's ribs, "then _he's_ the more gentlemanly."

"You wouldn't want a gentleman anyways!" Fred puffed, pushing Katrina off. She squealed as he pushed her onto the ground and lied on top of her. "You girls love bad boys, isn't that right?"

"And what makes you a bad boy?" she breathed, trying (and failing) to push him off. "Your bad grades?"

"Oi! My grades are fine, thank you very much."

"Only because you have _me_ helping you!" Katrina rasped.

"Oh, yes," Fred said in a girly voice, "please, Katrina, tell me more about how I am completely unable to function as a human being without you there to help me every step of the way."

With a wheezy laugh, Katrina raised one of her hands and began to count on her fingers. "You can't do your homework without me, you need me to take your History of Magic notes, without me you'd fail all of your OWLs rather than most of them —"

"Alright, alright!" Fred cried, rolling off of Katrina and beside her, allowing her to breathe again. "I get it, I can't do anything when you're not there!"

"Yep," Katrina said after sucking in a quick breath.

Then they sat in comfortable silence, laughing here or there. If there was a way to define the way Katrina felt, she didn't know what it was or how to say it. Freedom? Release? Something along the lines of that.

"But hey," Fred said quietly after a moment, still chuckling, "without me, you'd be an emotional wreck."

"Hmm," Katrina hummed, "I suppose that's true."

"Wouldn't want you crying to Moaning Myrtle anymore, would we?"

For a second, Katrina nearly asked Fred how he knew about that. But then she brushed it off, supposing he and George could've just asked Myrtle herself. "No, we wouldn't."

And they were quiet again. Katrina stared contently at the ceiling, laughing a little over how incredibly silly the day had been. She really was a bit of a clueless dummy, wasn't she? But that was alright. Better than being completely clueless, anyways.

"D'you wanna go to the common room now?" Fred asked abruptly. "It's getting late and sorta cold, not to mention how hard the floor is here. My back's hurting already."

"Might as well," Katrina shrugging, pushing herself up into a sitting position. Withing a few moments, Fred was at his feet and helping her up, holding her wrist and tugging her back to the portrait hole.

"You know," she laughed quietly, "I'm getting sort of sleepy."

"Oh, no," Fred groaned as the portrait swung open, "don't say that! I don't want to carry you all the way up to the common room!"

"Carry me, Fred!" Katrina cried dramatically, leaning onto his shoulder as they walked through the small passage. "I cannae walk any farther!"

"Oh yes, you _cannae_ can!" Fred laughed, shoving her off with a small grin. "Otherwise, you're sleeping on the Grand Staircase!"

"Awww," Katrina whined dejectedly. "But what if I _want_ you to carry me?"

"Then you're out of luck," Fred said. "Carrying days were two months ago. Should've admitted you liked me then!"

"But — but —"

"Just stop fannying around and get to it!" Fred snickered, and for good measure, he gave her bum a quick pat.

Katrina went still for the briefest of seconds, thinking to herself. Then she said, with a growing smirk, "Watch where you put your hands!"

And since she was feeling particularly brash, she returned the favor.

"Ouch!" Fred said, rubbing his bum and blinking a few times before beginning to grin. "_Oh,_ you want to play that game, do you?"

"What?" Katrina asked quickly, surprised. "What — _no,_ don't you dare —"

But Fred had already pushed her into the wall. He had one of his shoulders pinned to hers and was lowering his face so they were eye-to-eye.

"Don't I dare . . .?" he challenged.

Katrina glanced from his eyes to his hair, and then from his hair to his nose. From there she found herself staring at his mouth and wondering just what she was supposed to reply with.

But she couldn't think. A sudden fire that she hadn't ever felt before had suddenly burst inside of her stomach and was quickly spreading to the tips of her fingers and toes and even her ears. It wasn't too hot, but at the same time, it wasn't warm. It was incredibly _weird,_ though, and it was making her think very odd things.

By the looks of it, Fred was as lost for words as she was. His eyes kept glazing over and then snapping back to reality, only to fog up again.

Then he grumbled something and shuffled, moving the pressure from Katrina's right shoulder to her left.

Katrina laughed a little, blinking and shaking her head. "Well, this is awkward."

"Nah, not awkward," Fred snorted back, giving her a glance from the corner of his eye and smirking again. "What you're experiencing is called sexual tension."

"In your dreams, maybe." Katrina joked.

"In your _wet_ dreams," Fred retorted back.

And after that, it took Katrina a minute or so to really process what she had done. They were kissing again, but something else was behind it all. It wasn't just their usual daily snog, it was — it was frantic. They had all the time in the world, yet she felt the need to pull him closer. Fred was, of course, shocked, and was still as a petrified pigeon for a moment or two before easing so much he could have been a limp noodle. He chuckled and pushed her farther into the wall.

Finally, Katrina closed her eyes and let her body do whatever it wanted. Should she brush her fingers through his hair? Sure! Tug at the hem of his robes with her other hand? Why not! Anything seemed perfectly reasonable. Even Fred nipping at her bottom lip.

At first, she didn't really know what to do. Nip him back? Retreat? But, luckily for her, Fred knew his way around snogging quite well. So he pinched Katrina's side and made her gasp, and did what any other person would do when a kiss went up a level.

He added tongue.

Katrina stood still. Her brain had completely stopped working. This was a very, very new sensation . . . and she liked it.

Whatever that was in her stomach began to burn even hotter. Just as Fred was about to stop, she reached up with both of her hands and took hold of his head so she could delve deeper.

She didn't know how to use tongue or even how to kiss with someone else's in her mouth, but she didn't care. And Fred, apparently, didn't care either.

But it wasn't long until an unwanted tightness in Katrina's chest arrived and she had to pull away, sucking in long, deep breaths. Fred wasn't phased and trailed down her jaw, breathing heavily through his nose and blasting hot air onto her skin. The fire grew ever larger.

Katrina traced her fingers on the nape of Fred's neck as he moved lower and lower, losing steam. When he reached her collarbone, he heaved a sigh and relaxed his shoulders, sliding his hands around Katrina's waist and contently thudding his chin onto her shoulder.

"And that is how you snog," he said happily.

Carefully, Katrina slid her fingers down Fred's neck and began to fiddle with the collar of his robes. They had been kissing before, yes, but that had been a legitimate _snog._

Everything suddenly hit her with full force. A horribly hot blush flourished over her cheeks as the fire in her stomach fizzled away into nothing, and her hair prickled to lavender like it did so often nowadays.

Fred hummed merrily to himself, moving away from Katrina's shoulder and taking a handful of her hair, looking at it and then at her suggestively.

"I'm taking it that you liked it?" he winked.

She was reduced to stutters and splutters once again.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER THIRTY**

* * *

_its_

_a_

_MAAAAAAAAAAAAKEOUUUUUUUUUUUU UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT_


	31. OUT WITH A BANG

Katrina heaved a sigh, looking over her dormitory. Each bed was neatly made, the deep-blue quilts on them pressed and without any wrinkles. Their blue-and-bronze drapes were pulled away and tied to the bedposts, and there they would stay for a good while.

_Well,_ Katrina thought, _until next year._

With one last glance, she took her suitcase and Alphonse (who was in his cage) before leaving her dorm, closing the door behind her.

The Ravenclaw common room was alight with conversation, or more talk than usual, anyways. Many of Katrina's housemates had their own bags and things, but some of them were still waiting until the last minute. Too busy talking to their friends, she reckoned. That made sense.

Katrina sat down on one of the many chintz armchairs littering the common room and busied herself with thinking over the last couple of months. It was currently June, and all of the exams (the O.W.L.s included) had come and gone. Katrina herself had actually passed with flying colors, and she idly wondered why she had been so worried. Just yesterday she had been given her scores. An O in everything except for History of Magic and Herbology, where she got E's.

The week before, Katrina had spent the last Hogsmeade visit of the year with Cora, Fred, George, and Lee. But she frowned. The trip itself had been wonderful, but Professor Lupin had resigned. . . . She hated thinking about it, to be honest. He had been so kind to her over the year, and just because he was a werewolf. . . .

Oh, yes, word had got out. Professor Lupin had been a werewolf all along, and that was why he was sick so often. That was why Snape was giving him a potion; it was Wolfsbane, to help with the transformations every full moon. But now students knew, and parents knew, and a good lot of them weren't happy with the idea of a werewolf being so near. Even though Katrina didn't want him to go, she did understand his reasoning and agreed that it would probably be best if he wasn't at Hogwarts . . . though she still thought he was the best Defense Against the Dark Arts professor she had ever had.

But even more had gone on last week. The night before Lupin was revealed to be a werewolf, Sirius Black had been caught on Hogwarts grounds. And, not only that, but he had escaped, too! He was ruddy good at escaping. . . . But nevertheless, he was far away from Hogwarts now, and hopefully Europe as a whole. The Dementors were said to be far, far away from even France at this point. That's what Katrina's dad was saying, anyways.

She smiled. Although she was going to miss school, Katrina couldn't wait to see her mother and father and youngest brother again. Tim was three years old now! And she was so excited to see Alex's face when her dad told him he had gotten them tickets to the Quidditch World Cup.

But she couldn't just think about being completely without responsibilities over the summer. Katrina had a good lot of homework to do . . . most of which wasn't even school-related.

She and the twins still hadn't perfected the Ton-Tongue Toffees, but they were close. Their last batch could swell a tongue to twice its original size. Katrina figured that she or Fred and George will find out what to do to get the recipe right over the vacation. All in all, things were going pretty good.

Sighing again, Katrina stood up from her seat. Most everyone now was piling out of the common room, the few who had been procrastinating rushing up to their dorms to finish packing. Time to go.

Stepping down the familiar stairs of Ravenclaw Tower, stepping past the (now extremely familiar) tapestries that had secret passages behind them, and stepping into the very, very familiar Entrance Hall along with all of the other students seemed to be quite . . . depressing . . . just like it was at the end of every year. But this time, there was an added sadness. In years before, she'd be sad because despite all of the woes she had felt during her time at Hogwarts, it was still a sort of home. Comforting, comfortable. But now she had _friends,_ actual friends, and now she really felt like she had a place at school. She was no longer an outcast. And she was going to be away from those friends for a whole two months!

But Cora's family did visit often, and there was always Owl Post. But still, it wasn't the same to being face-to-face with the twins or Lee. . . .

After a good amount of walking, Katrina was staring at the Hogwarts Express. And then she was stepping on board, and then she was swinging her suitcase onto the luggage rack and setting Alphonse down by the window. Through the clattering of things falling around in her suitcase, she heard the compartment door open again and was tackled by not one, not two, but four other people.

"_Triiiinaaaaaaa!_" Lee cried, gripping her shoulders and acting like he was bawling his eyes out.

"Fifth year!" George blubbered humorously.

"We've finally finished it!" Fred howled. "No more stupid homework or essays or anything for another two months!"

Cora, however, was a fit of both laughing and crying and was too busy sniffling to actually talk.

Giggling, Katrina pushed them all off and helped Cora into a seat. She was always rather emotional at the end of the year. Fred and George began to dance around wildly in their compartment while Lee slammed the door shut and began to sing horribly to a tune Katrina couldn't quite put her finger on.

"School is finally out!" he sang. "No more homework, no more Sprout!"

"Snape, Snape, take a bath!" Fred and George chorused.

"Or our bodies will chap!" they screamed.

"From your rancid body odor," George continued.

"Our noses cripple in horror," Fred sang deeply.

"Take some of this shampoo, please!" Lee laughed.

"Look at us, we're on our knees!" they screeched.

"Summer is finally here!" Fred yelled as Katrina and Cora began to clap and laugh to the beat. "Trelawney's bonkers, Filch is near!"

"But don't you fear," George said.

" 'Cause it's the end of the year!" the boys finally finished, each of them falling onto the opposite bench in unison. Their compartment was filled with laughter for a good five minutes, in which Fred and George tossed all of their bags and things up onto the luggage rack beside Katrina's.

Still snickering, she asked, "What was that?"

"D'you like it?" George asked. "We modified the lyrics to that Frog Choir song."

"Oh!" Cora hiccuped, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "_Something Wicked This Way Comes!_ I knew it sounded familiar!"

"Well, it was absolutely brilliant," Katrina said, nodding along with Cora.

"We know," the boys all said. Lee sniggered to himself quietly.

"Do you like what I said about Trelawney, Trina?" he asked.

"Oh, _yes,_" Katrina rolled her eyes with a laugh. "You're all so immature!"

"Well she _is_ bonkers," Fred said.

"Not bonkers," Cora giggled quietly. "Overzealous."

"Ah, yes," Fred nodded in a fake agreement, "because wearing two ginormous crystal balls for glasses is completely not bonkers."

As the girls giggled and guys snorted, the compartment door slid open again. Ginny stood, alone, smirking a bit and quirking an eyebrow.

"What's so funny?" she asked, crossing her arms in the doorway.

"Trelawney!" Lee gasped as George curled his fingers into circles around his eyes, mimicking Trelawney's ginormous glasses.

"Oh," Ginny said, furrowing her brow in thought, "the Divination teacher?"

"Yeah," Cora said as she covered her mouth politely, nodding. "She's a bit . . ."

"Crazy," Fred chuckled.

"I figured," Ginny said. "She wears all of those odd shawls and things. Basically screams 'bonkers', don't you think?"

The boys began to crack up even louder. Just as Katrina was about to defend Trelawney (though she did have to sort of agree), the train suddenly lurched. The compartment door clacked as it shifted out and back into its place, and Ginny wobbled a bit in the doorway.

"Er — mind if I sit with you?" she asked. "Most of the others are crammed into a couple compartments, and I'd rather have room to breathe."

Fred and George sighed deeply.

"We _guess. . ._" they said slowly, looking comically downcast. Ginny rolled her eyes and stepped in, closing the compartment door behind her and giving them both a small punch to the arm. The twins snickered.

Just as Ginny sat beside Katrina, who was laughing silently to herself, the train lurched again. The engine up front whirred and a faint chugging was growing louder and louder. The station outside the window was slowly moving out of view, and after a few moments, even Hagrid, in all of his massiveness, had disappeared.

Ginny sighed. "Well, we've got a day's ride ahead of us. What shall we do?"

Suddenly, the boys stopped sniggering.

"Are you _really_ asking us that?" Fred and George asked, smirking. Lee, grinning, stood from his seat and reached for a bag on the luggage rack.

"Oh dear," Cora mumbled as Lee pulled something out. Katrina gasped.

"_Fireworks!_" she said giddily, jumping up and taking the Filibuster's from Lee's hands.

"Thought you'd like them," he laughed.

"If you get us into trouble —" Cora started lightheartedly.

"Nah, we won't, love," George said, waving it off with a wink in her direction. "Just a bit of fun!"

"And look, they're Wet-Start!" Fred said, bouncing up to Katrina and pointing at the label on a rather large firework. "Won't burn anyone or anything!"

"Well, if anybody asks, I don't know you," Cora sniffed humorously as George pouted in his seat.

"But you —" he started.

"Nope," Cora said quickly with a shake of her head. "Don't know you."

With a huff, George crossed his arms and pouted to the window instead.

"Can I help set them off?" Ginny asked interestedly.

"Well, of course you can!" Fred said brightly, stomping over to her and ruffling her hair. As Ginny giggled a bit and set her hair right again, he said, "How else are we going to influence you into being a hellion like us?"

"You are _such_ bad role models," Katrina laughed.

"Oi!" Fred said quickly as George stood up again, shooting Cora a funny sort of glare and making her laugh. "I've made you better, haven't I?"

"No," Lee said before Katrina could answer, "you've made her worse! Look at her, no regard for the rules at all," he motioned to Katrina, moving his hands up and down. "Awful, really."

"Oh, yeah?" George asked, clapping Lee on the shoulder. "And what about you? You don't exactly regard the rules either."

Lee shrugged. "I'm awful too, then. We're all awful."

"More like _fantastic, sexy beasts,_" Fred whispered in Katrina's ear.

"You wish!" she laughed, pushing Fred away and nearly dropping a few fireworks. He steadied her by the arm and waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Still wobbly from last night?" he asked loudly as Katrina stifled her amusement. "Damn, what a banging can do to a woman!"

"I'm sorry," Katrina said after a moment, "I think you're confused — the only thing you could've 'banged' last night was your own hand."

"_Okay!_" Cora suddenly shouted, fighting between laughter and seriousness as Ginny turned a bit pink. "No more — no — just go already!"

After laughing a bit more, Lee and George pushed Katrina out into the small corridor, rattling the fireworks while Fred waved a slowly-growing-redder Ginny out. Time to go out with a _bang!_

* * *

Katrina was still giggling by the time she, Fred, George, Lee, and Ginny stumbled out of the Hogwarts Express and onto the ground of Platform 9¾. Cora rolled her eyes behind them, hopping out and adjusting the bag on her shoulder. Alphonse, who was in his cage in Katrina's hand, looked like he had been rattled to the bone.

"Did you see that first years' face?" Fred sniggered as he grinned. "He was _terrified!_"

"What about that seventh year?" Katrina asked. "He looked positively livid!"

"That's because he _was_ livid!" Ginny laughed. "He turned _so_ red when you blew that one firework in his face, George!"

"All in a day's work," George said simply, adjusting his shirt proudly. Katrina laughed along with Ginny and Cora, who was trying to hide her amusement and failing horribly.

Fred sighed after a moment, contently slinging his arm over Katrina's shoulders as they all walked away from the train and further into the station.

"I'm gonna miss you, y'know," Katrina hummed idly as George wrapped his arm around a giggling Cora. Ginny rolled her eyes as Lee began to snicker.

"Only him?" George asked over his shoulder. Katrina snorted.

"Yes, only him," she replied sarcastically. George stuck his tongue out at her as Cora laughed into her hand. Then, with a groan, George dramatically turned himself and Cora on their heels and began to search the other side of the platform.

"I was only joking!" Katrina shouted to him. George raised his hand and sent her a rather rude finger, but laughed along with Cora.

"What an arse," Lee snorted. "Leaving me here all by my lonesome just so he can snog his girlfriend."

Ginny laughed a little as Fred removed himself from Katrina and began to playfully bicker with Lee. "I think I'm going to find my mum and dad," she told Katrina quietly.

"Alright," Katrina nodded with a bit of a laugh. "If you see my dad — you know, green hair — point him in this direction, would you?"

"Sure," Ginny nodded, and with a bit of a smirk, she weaved her way through the many chattering students and parents to find the rest of her family.

"Well at least they don't snog in front of me," Lee sniffed, crossing his arms and raising his chin triumphantly.

"Yes, well," Fred said as he crossed his arms too, "I'm sure if you had the chance to snog Angelina whenever you wanted, you'd take it, wouldn't you?"

Lee looked as if he was going to refuse, but then he stopped, thought about it, and snapped his jaw shut again.

"Thought so," Fred grinned.

"Well," Lee said in a prissy sort of tone, "I'm going to go and find Mum and Dad while you two snog your brains out."

"We won't —" Katrina began.

"More like you're going to find _Angelina!_" Fred whistled as Lee grinned and jogged away, waving goodbye.

Katrina waited for a moment as Fred waved back, laughing under his breath. Then she said, with a humorous tone, "Is that all you can ever think of? Angelina?"

"Oh, yes," Fred nodded seriously, looking at her from the corner of his eye. "All the time. Only Angelina."

"I'll be sure to tell her that when I send you all owls," Katrina said, tugging on Fred's arm to turn him around and search for either of their families. "Don't think she'd be very happy to know you're thinking so much about her again, though."

"Probably not," Fred admitted with a shrug, looping Katrina's arm through his elbow. "Lucky I've got you to think about now, huh?"

"Yes, incredibly lucky that you think about how to embarrass me rather than your _obvious_ undying love for Angelina," Katrina smiled.

"Mhm," Fred hummed distractedly, peering around the many tall heads and bodies crowding around the Hogwarts Express. "Speaking of — snog me."

"What?"

"Well," Fred said quickly, shooting his head back to her but still glancing here or there to the left, "we're not gonna be able to for a few months, right? Shouldn't we — er — snog it out to —"

"Snog it out?" Katrina smirked.

"_Just —!_" Fred exclaimed shortly before looked to the side again and pulling his arm away from Katrina's. She raised a questionable brow as he nearly shoved his hand behind her back, still glancing nervously to the left.

"Is something wro—" Katrina began to ask, nearly turning to see just what had made him so jumpy. But Fred jumped forward and clasped her attention expertly.

Well, she thought, he had been right. They wouldn't see each other for a good two months or so. . . .

Katrina reached up to the collar of his shirt and pinched the fabric between her fingers. Tilting her head the slightest to the left, she felt Fred's lips form into a rather large grin between all of their snogging.

_Such a proud prick,_ she thought fondly.

"SEE!" a voice shouted from not so far away, "I _told_ you they'd be snogging!"

Katrina jumped away from Fred, who was beaming wider than ever. There, on her left, was Alex and her parents.

"M-Mum!" she squeaked. "Dad!"

"They're always snogging now, though," Alex shrugged as he weaved between two confused adults, Mr. and Mrs. Rhinehart at his heels. "I think they've possessed her or something, she's completely different now, snogging in the hallways and whatnot —"

"Not in hallways," Fred corrected. "Broom closets."

"Same concept," Alex dismissed him with a wave as Mr. Rhinehart snorted.

"Sounds familiar," Mrs. Rhinehart mumbled to her husband, who had started to snigger. Katrina looked between all of them, horror-struck.

"W-we don't — not in the — well at least —" she stuttered. Her parents chuckled. Fred roughly clapped her on the shoulder.

"Secret's out, love," he said brightly. "They know we snog. Why not give them a show?"

"What?" Katrina shrieked as Fred leaned in again. "No! _No! _Don't you dare!"

With a swift _smack,_ Katrina had slapped her hands onto Fred's mouth and was pushing his face away at arm's length.

He slumped his shoulders and groaned. Alex rolled his eyes and shuffled the bags and cases in his arms.

"Oi, Mum," he asked Mrs. Rhinehart as she giggled into her hand, "can you charm one of my bags for next year, like Kat's?"

"Kaff's?" Fred mumbled curiously. Katrina shoved her hand harder into his face.

"Sure, sweetheart," Mrs. Rhinehart said distractedly, glancing between Katrina and Fred.

"Oh, oh!" Alex suddenly jumped excitedly, looking back to Katrina, who was white as a sheet besides her hair — it was violet again. "D'you know what Dad got us, Kat? D'you?"

" 'Course I know," Katrina snapped quickly, eying Fred worriedly. He was giving her a baffled look. "Tickets, yes. But they're only for you and him, you know."

"Kaff?" Fred mumbled again.

"Yeah, I know," Alex grinned. "All the better, I don't have to deal with you."

"Mmf," Fred grunted as he swatted Katrina's hand away. "Tickets? To the World Cup?"

"Yep!" Alex said brightly, squeezing a small bag between his hands and going starry-eyed. "Dad and I got tickets 'cause he's such an important Auror!"

"We're going, too!" Fred beamed. "Dad got tickets for us from the Ministry."

"Oh, did he?" Mr. Rhinehart asked, looking interestedly at Fred. Alex looked the slightest bit crestfallen. "Are you a fan of Quidditch?"

Fred scoffed. "Am I a fan of Quidditch? Trina, tell him how big a fan of Quidditch I am, why don't you?"

"Trina?" Alex mumbled as Katrina rubbed her hand over her eyes.

"He's a Gryffindor Beater, Dad," she groaned. "George is one, too."

"A Beater!" Mr. Rhinehart exclaimed excitedly. "A Gryffindor Beater!"

"Yep," Fred said proudly, puffing out his chest a big. "Impressive, isn't it?"

Mr. Rhinehart hummed thoughtfully to himself, rubbing his chin challengingly. "I dunno, I did some pretty impressive things in my Beater days. . ."

"You were a Beater?" Fred asked, surprised. For a split second, Katrina thought he was impressed.

"Not just a Beater," Mr. Rhinehart smirked. Now Katrina sent him a glare. He was milking it. "A _Gryffindor_ Beater."

"No way," Fred breathed. "Are you serious? What —"

"Oi! Fred!"

Fred turned behind him, where, over a flurry of redheads, George was waving him over.

"Stop snogging Katrina and get over here, will you?" he called.

"Just give me a minute!" Fred barked back. Then he turned back to Katrina and opened his mouth to say something, but paused.

After a moment, he said exasperatedly, "For Merlin's sake, will you stop it with all the purple?"

Katrina blinked. Then she shook her head and shoved a hand through her hair, ruffling it and watching quietly as it faded from lavender to blue again. "Sorry," she mumbled quietly.

"Whatever, anyways," Fred said quickly as George shouted for him again, "I'll owl you, yeah?"

"Uh," she stuttered. "Yeah?"

"Great, okay," Fred said as he looked back to Mr. Rhinehart and Alex. "I'll see you at the Cup then?"

"Sure!" Mr. Rhinehart grinned. "We can talk all about Quidditch there!"

"Yeah!" Fred said. He turned to Mrs. Rhinehart and furrowed his eyebrows a bit before holding out his hand and saying, "Nice to meet you, too, Miss —"

"Maria," Mrs. Rhinehart said quickly, shaking Fred's hand with a smile.

"Oh!" Mr. Rhinehart jumped giddily. "And I'm Robert!"

"Mum, Dad!" Katrina whined. "You've already met! And he's not supposed to know your names —"

"But not cordially, Trina!" Fred said as he moved to shake Mr. Rhinehart's hand, too. "Maria, Robert! I'll remember that. I'm Fred."

"And your twin's George, right?" Mr. Rhinehart asked.

"Yep!" Fred said.

"FRED!" George yelled. "WE'VE GOT TO GO THROUGH THE BARRIER, HURRY UP ALREADY!"

"Fine, fine!" Fred shouted back, taking Katrina by the shoulders. "See you next year, I'll write, blah, blah, blah. You know it all!"

"Yeah, right," Katrina nodded quickly. "Uh — make _sure_ you and George write and — and uh —"

"_FRED!_"

"I know!" Fred said before kissing Katrina again and taking her completely by surprise.

"Ooh, snogging!" Mr. Rhinehart clapped as Katrina shoved Fred off, who was snickering again.

"I'm going to —!" Katrina began to shriek, hair flaring a brilliant bubblegum, but Fred was already running away.

"I know, love, I know!" he repeated, laughing jovially as he met up with the rest of the Weasleys.

"I hate him," she grumbled. Mrs. Rhinehart laughed quietly again while Alex rolled his eyes and turned to Mr. Rhinehart.

"Can we go now?" he asked. "It's getting all congested and stuffy. . . ."

"I suppose," Mr. Rhinehart sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, "now that the show is over and all. . ."

"It wasn't a show!" Katrina said, swinging her jangling suitcase, annoyed. "It was Fred acting like a — like a —"

"Yes, yes," Mrs. Rhinehart soothed, patting down Katrina's hair before taking her hand. "He's quite the character. Now come, Tim's back at home taking a nap. He's excited to see you back, you know."

"Is he?" Katrina asked quickly. She had to admit, she was rather excited to see Tim again. "How's he been doing since Christmas?"

"Incredibly well," Mrs. Rhinehart smiled kindly. "Let's go, hm? Ready, sweetheart?" she turned to Mr. Rhinehart, who hand taken hold of Alex's shoulder and nodded.

"Beat you there," he said with a wink. And, with a loud _CRACK!_ they were gone.

"Your father," Mrs. Rhinehart chuckled quietly.

Holding her mother's hand a bit tighter, Katrina sighed. "He's quite the character."

Mrs. Rhinehart sent her a glance before smiling wider than before and turning. Immediately, the split-second of constriction and pounding of two invisible slabs against the whole of Katrina's body hit her with the force of a thousand broomsticks, and was gone.

She was home. Finally home.

* * *

**END OF INNUENDO**

* * *

_holy poops my head hurts  
_

_ANYWAYS yes, you heard right! It's officially the end of Innuendo. However, don't worry! Part Two, _**Magic** **Works**_, will begin very shortly! Keep your eyes open and prepare yourself for the oh-so dreaded hormones!_

_Now that Part 1 of our wonderful series, a few extras will be released on the Tumblr, dont-let-this-magic-die. This includes myself actually singing the song from earlier in this chapter and a ficlet from Fred's point of view._

_Thank you for reading this far! I literally have no words for how happy and excited I am. Again, thank you, thank you, thank you 3_


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